Wish a Loved One Happiness

(waves on the beach) Most people find this next practice the easiest, and that is to practice wishing a loved one well. So snuggle in, again, maybe you're in a chair. Big deliberate inhale, exhale, let a (sighs) happen, soften the belly. Easy at the back of the heart. Let the shoulders relax back and down and this time as you soften your elbows, again pay attention to your hands a little bit.

Let your hands feel soft and open. Find the alignment of your skull. And your eyes are either closed or gently, softly open at a spot out in front of you. And let your awareness now come to a being for whom you have easy affection, for whom you care about. It could be a child, a grandparent, a friend, could be a lover, it could even be your dog or your cat.

But just identify a being whose well-being you genuinely wish for and just notice even by bringing this being into your field, notice how your heart feels. So just notice the gift already that this being gives you. And then gently and as you're ready, like we've been playing, feel the movement of the breath at your heart. With this being in your awareness, begin to let the mantra of loving kindness ride so feel your inhale, and as you exhale, let the mantra of "May you be well and happy," genuinely reach out towards this being. Feel your inhale, and as you exhale, a genuine, sincere, heartfelt wish of happiness and freedom goes out to this being for whom you already have affection.

Relax any strain, let the throat be soft, let the jaw be soft. And while it's easy to wish this being genuine happiness, genuine well being, be aware of any desire for them to know you're wishing them well. That's totally normal. Be aware of the temptation of wanting credit for your good-doing. Laugh a little bit if that comes up.

It's just part of being a human being. And sometimes what happens when you've turned the green light on of your heart, when you've opened your heart for loving kindness business, other beings start to show up. So while you may have the ability to hold your focus on this one being with whom you've started, if it becomes really obvious that someone else is trying to crowd themselves in, just let them, let yourself play with being more of a revolving door. Okay so inhale and exhale, just practice holding your heartfelt, sincere focus. May you be well and happy.

May you be happy and free. Whatever mantra really works for you. Last few moments, soft heart, soft hands. You might have held your attention on one person, you might have handled a whole small town. It just depends on what's occurring.

Beautiful, last few beats. As you complete this last mantra, relax, rest in your heart and notice the effects. And so today let this be your homework, just as the people you love come into frame maybe actually in physical presence or just simply in the thoughts, can you allow yourself to drop down into your heart's center and truly, genuinely wish them well? Thank you for being here.