This page gives you one place to settle into loving-kindness: posture guidance, a simple sequence, your full practice text, and the audio source from the Berkeley Greater Good in Action guide — now styled to match the quieter Maya Blue, water, and charcoal language of Meditation.
Downloaded and embedded from the original Berkeley resource so it lives inside your retreat page too.
Source audio: Greater Good in Action / UC Berkeley. This companion page keeps the practice close at hand while preserving the original attribution.
Below is your supplied practice text, shaped into a clean reading flow for quiet use.
Sit in a comfortable position. You may close your eyes or keep them open, whichever feels more comfortable. If you keep your eyes open, focus on something in the room that is not too distracting, like a book or a corner of the table. [Chime]
Allow yourself to switch from the usual mode of doing to a mode of non-doing, of simply being, as your body becomes still. Bring your attention to the fact that you are breathing and become aware of the sensations of your breath as it comes into your body, and as it leaves your body. Avoid manipulating your breath in any way or trying to change it. Simply be aware of your inhale and exhale and the sensations of your breath. [Pause]
Observe the breath deep down in your belly, feeling your stomach as it expands gently on your in-breath, and as your stomach falls back towards your spine on your out-breath.
Be totally here in each moment, with each breath, not trying to do anything, not trying to get any place, simply being with your breath, giving full care and attention to each in-breath and to each out-breath. [Pause]
When distracting thoughts arise, acknowledge them, then return to the practice. [Pause]
Now, bring your focus to yourself. See if you can offer loving-kindness to yourself by letting these words become your words: “May I be safe, may I be healthy, may I be happy, may I live with ease.”
Notice the sensations that arise and let them be as you look within yourself with calmness and non-judgment. Maybe it seems artificial or stilted to say such things to yourself for yourself. Maybe you're not feeling loving-kindness in this moment, and that's okay.
Whatever you're feeling, you can hold the intention of loving-kindness, offering it from wherever you are, however you are now: “May I be safe. May I be healthy, may I be happy, may I live with ease.” [Pause]
Now, keeping in awareness the feelings that have arisen, bring to mind a living being for whom you have deep and warm feelings of love. Visualize this being and notice your feelings as they arise in your mind and your body. It may be simply a smile spreading across your face or a warmth in your chest. Whatever the feelings of love, allow them to be. [Pause]
Keeping the person you love in mind, say these words to them: “May you be safe, may you be healthy, may you be happy, may you live with ease.” [Pause]
Once your feelings flow easily to your loved one, turn your attention to a person for whom you have no particular feelings, perhaps an acquaintance or a person with whom you had a brief chat, a neutral person.
Offer that person these wishes: “May you be safe. May you be healthy, may you be happy, may you live with ease.” Notice the sensations and feelings that arise within you, and see if you can simply allow them and let them be.
If distracting thoughts arise, acknowledge them. Then return to the words: “May you be safe, may you be healthy, may you be happy, may you live with ease.”
Now bring to mind the broader community of which you are a part. You might imagine your family, your workmates, your neighbors. Fan out your attention until you include all persons and creatures around you on this earth, including yourself in this offering of loving-kindness. Let these words become your words: “May we be safe, may we be healthy, may we be happy, may we live with ease.”
Notice the sensations and feelings that arise within you, and sit with them for a few moments before the practice ends.