Wishing Ourselves and Others Well – Guided Mindfulness Meditation
This video is part of the Mindfulness Incubator video series. (15/16)
Transcript
Let’s begin by taking a moment to settle your body in a comfortable position, finding a posture that feels relaxed and alert. You can close your eyes or look downward just to limit visual distractions.
As you invite a sense of ease into your belly, your chest, and your head, allow that sense of ease to travel around your body, fostering a feeling of well-being and relaxation.
Give yourself the gift of presence, of nonjudgmental awareness, a sense of care. Check in with the physical sensations of your body and any emotions you may be experiencing right now. Let yourself settle and relax, relaxing your belly and softening your shoulders.
Now, take a full breath in through the nose and out through the mouth, allowing your breath to find a natural rhythm.
Bring to mind someone you care about, someone who makes your heart sing, someone who makes you smile. Imagine them well and happy. Say to yourself, “may they be well, may they be happy.” And whatever other wishes you have for them, express them now.
Bring to mind someone else you care about. Imagine them well and happy, envision their smile, their laugh, their kindness. Say to yourself, “may they be well, may they be happy, may they live with ease.”
With the same sense of care, extend a feeling of well-being to yourself. Invite a sense of care and compassion for yourself, wishing yourself love and happiness. Say, “may I be well, may I be healthy, may I be safe, may I live with ease.”
Embrace the spirit of kindness and generosity, offering yourself the same care you’d offer to another. As you breathe normally, let these offerings of kindness and goodwill sink in, hold your heart, and allow the sense of care to permeate throughout your being.
“May I be well, may others be well.” Notice how this sense of care feels in your body, and finish with a full, deep breath.
Reflection
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to forget the importance of taking a moment for ourselves, to pause and simply be present. Recently, I came across a video transcript that encapsulates this practice beautifully. It doesn’t require any fancy equipment or special skills, just a willingness to be present and extend kindness.
The words gently guide us to find a comfortable, relaxed posture, free from distractions. It reminds us to close our eyes or lower our gaze to reduce the visual noise that often surrounds us. This simple act acknowledges the significance of creating an environment conducive to calm and self-awareness.
As we continue through the transcript, we are encouraged to invite a sense of ease into our bodies. Not just our physical selves, but our emotional being as well. The importance of nonjudgmental awareness, the gift of presence, and a sense of care are emphasized. We are prompted to check in with the physical sensations and emotions within ourselves.
The gentle reminder to relax our belly and shoulders is a simple but powerful one. These areas tend to hold tension and stress. By focusing on relaxing them, we are taking concrete steps towards self-compassion.
Breathing, something we often take for granted, becomes a focal point. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth, and let your breath find its natural rhythm. It’s a small act, but it brings us back to the present moment and reminds us of the beauty of something as simple as a breath.
Then comes the part that resonates deeply with me. We are asked to bring to mind someone we care about, someone who fills our hearts with warmth and happiness. The act of imagining their well-being, their joy, and uttering the words “may they be well, may they be happy” is a reminder of the power of empathy, of caring for others.
But it doesn’t stop there. We are encouraged to think of another person, someone else we hold dear. We imagine their happiness and extend the same wishes for their well-being. It’s a practice that reinforces our capacity for kindness and our ability to spread goodwill.
The real magic happens when we turn this sense of care inwards. We extend the same feelings of well-being, care, and compassion to ourselves. The words “may I be well, may I be healthy, may I be safe, may I live with ease” become a mantra, a reminder of the importance of self-love and self-compassion.
The transcript emphasizes the spirit of kindness and generosity, and the notion of offering ourselves the same level of care we’d readily offer to another person. It’s a profound moment of self-recognition and self-care.
As we continue to breathe, we allow these offerings of kindness and goodwill to sink in. It’s as if we’re holding our own hearts, allowing the sense of care to permeate throughout our being. “May I be well, may others be well,” the transcript reminds us.
The reflection on how this sense of care feels in our bodies is a powerful reminder of the mind-body connection, and the importance of kindness not just in our thoughts but in our physical being.
And finally, we conclude this beautiful practice with a full, deep breath, symbolizing our commitment to self-compassion and our wish for the well-being of others.
This video transcript serves as a gentle, yet powerful, reminder of the significance of self-care, empathy, and the practice of extending kindness, not just to others but to ourselves. It’s a practice that can easily be incorporated into our daily lives, reminding us to pause, breathe, and be present. So, may you be well, may you be happy, and may you continue to cultivate kindness and compassion in your journey through life.