Love and Kindness Practice

Today, direct loving kindness toward yourself.

Consciously direct love, care, and good wishes toward yourself.

If you find this difficult, there’s a way to make it easier.

Picture yourself as a child at the youngest age, you remember. You can also use a photograph of yourself to help bring this to mind.

Start to think, may you be happy. May you be free from suffering. Direct those thoughts at this younger version of yourself.

Whatever your life has been up until now, that young child is someone for whom you wish nothing but happiness.

Wish that child to be as happy as possible. To be free from fear, sorrow, and physical pain.

Bring yourself to mind as you were some years later, perhaps as a teenager or a young adult.

Look at this former self with all his or her uncertainty, with all the plans that will be realized or unrealized. Don’t you want that person to be free from suffering? To be unconflicted? To be happy?

You might briefly see yourself in your happiest moments and in your saddest, and feel compassion for the whole project of being a person in this world.

May you be happy. May you be free from suffering. And now bring yourself to mind as you currently are in whatever circumstance you find yourself, and realize that you want to be happy. You want this for yourself.

And see if you can look upon yourself as you would your closest friend, without judgment. May you be happy. May you be free from fear and regret. May you find peace in this life.

Now direct this toward others. Family. Friends. Acquaintances. Your community.