Planetary Loving Kindness Meditation adapted from Joanna Macy
Close your eyes, breathing naturally, relax your shoulders, adjust your body to an upright position. Pay attention to the breath as it passes in and out of your nostrils. Firstly try to feel any sensations in the extremities of your body. Then bring your attention to feeling the top of your head and the middle of your chest. Sit quietly feeling sensations in this area. (Pause. Gong)
Call to mind someone you care about very much or love in a non-sexual way or to whom you have great gratitude. In your mind’s eye picture the face of this person, silently speak their name and experience the feelings you have for them. (Pause. Gong)
Now feel how much you want this person to be well and safe, free from fear, anxiety or whatever specific negative physical or mental conditions you know them to experience. Wish this person wellness, happiness, safety and freedom from negative physical or mental states. The warm energy current you are feeling is boundless love or loving kindness. (Pause. Gong)
Continuing to feel that warm energy flow from your heart, picture in your mind’s eye people with whom you come into contact on a daily basis; your family, friends, work colleagues. Name these people as you identify them. To each in turn direct the same current of loving kindness. Wishing them to be well, happy, safe, and free from negative physical or mental states. If you know some specific condition they personally suffer, wish that they be released from it. (Pause. Gong)
Picture also those people in your daily life, towards which you have mainly neutral feelings. This might include neighbours, acquaintances, shopkeepers or the postie. You might also feel grateful towards these ‘neutral’ people who serve you in your daily life. Wish them to be well, happy, safe, and free from negative physical or mental states. (Pause. Gong)
Perhaps there are people in all these groups with whom you currently have difficulties. If you are feeling a strong flow of loving-kindness try directing this current of energy towards these people. Wish that they be free from fear, anxiety, hatred, greed, ignorance and the causes of suffering. (Pause. Gong)
Allow the beam of loving kindness to spread further in concentric circles to all people in your area, state and country. Expand this current of boundless friendship to other beings – human and non-human – with whom your share this planet. People who you have not yet met but with whom you share a desire to be well, content, safe and healthy. To all those people experiencing suffering on earth we wish that they be free from the causes of mental and physical suffering. May all be safe and content. Feel the loving kindness radiating out from your heart spreading through the world and the known and unknown universe. May all be happy. (Pause. Gong)
Now as if you are a spaceship returning to earth, picture our own blue planet suspended in space – a blue and white jewel turning in the light of the sun. You are slowly approaching it drawing closer and closer to this country, region and place. (Pause. Gong)
As you return reflect on the person you know best – you. Think about your specific conditions and aspirations. What you need and want in your life. The same current of love you have been generating to others is now directed to yourself. Feel the flow of loving kindness, compassion and forgiveness. Wishing you by name to free from fear and anger or any other specific negative emotions, liberated from ignorance and delusion and the causes of suffering. (Pause. Gong)
The great loving kindness connecting you to all beings is now directed to you. Feel the fullness of it. May I be peaceful and content. May I be well. May I be free from greed, hatred and ignorance. May I be liberated, liberated, liberated. (Pause. Gong)