Compassion.

What if you could learn to practice friendliness, kindness and compassion toward yourself and others? What if these practices led to a more open and fearless heart and that this practice allowed you to take things less personally? What if these practices gave you the gift of loving openly and unconditionally without any expectations?

This week I'll introduce you to one of my favorite meditations, the lovingkindness meditation. There are many variations on the words used in this meditation, so if this isn't for you...sit for a while and replace my words with ones that feel more genuine to your heart.

Our mantra for the week is...

I am opening my heart to unconditional love.

I deserve to give and receive love unconditionally.

Our journaling prompt is…

What is unconditional love?

What would it feel like to experience unconditional love?

What do you know to be true about love?

How can I show myself unconditional love?

And our meditation is...

Find a comfortable seat. This can be sitting on the floor, in a chair. This can be laying down or even standing with support. You can choose to keep your eyes open or close them gently.

Take a few breaths. Breathe in. Breathe out. Notice the sensation of your breath moving in and out of your body. Feel your heart beating in the center of your chest. Visualize a white light of loving energy surrounding your heart.

Say these words and visualize this white light of loving energy growing larger from your heart to expand around your whole body.

May I be safe. May I be happy and content. May I be healthy and well in my body and mind. May I live with ease.

Begin to visualize someone you love. See their heart surrounded by a a white light of loving energy. Send these words from your heart to theirs.

May you be safe. May you be happy and content. May you be healthy and well in my body and mind. May you live with ease.

See this light of love growing in your heart and your loved one's heart. Feel this light radiating out into the world. Touching hearts. Expanding love. Nothing needed in return. Just filling the world with love. Filling the world with love and kindness.

Notice what love feels like in your body. Notice what it feels like to feel friendly toward yourself, toward your loved one - expanding love into life.

Stay with this sensation and noticing as long as you want or need.

Pause and allow yourself plenty of time to slowly return to your day.