Part Three Practice: Loving Kindness for Future Generations

(gentle ambient music) Hi, I'm Dora. Welcome to this Long Time Academy Practice, a Loving Kindness Meditation for Future Generations. So whenever you're ready, just inviting you now to find a quiet area and to take a few moments just to get comfortable, as comfortable as you can be. Taking a few deep breaths and just arriving into this present moment. Unclenching your jaw. Relaxing your shoulders. Letting go of any tension in the body. And just noticing the breath moving in and out of the body. Sensing the support of the ground beneath you. Being fully present in this moment. So we'll begin by wishing yourself well with a word or sentence that resonates with you. Maybe that sounds like: May I experience warmth, may I experience moments of peace, may I feel held. Or you can just use single words like warm, peaceful, held, well. And after saying the words, just gently noticing any effect that they may have on you. Sitting with that experience in the mind and body. And gently repeating another word or sentence or keeping with the same one. Speaking to yourself in a kind, caring inner voice. May I feel warmth, may I feel safe. Continuing to repeat these words to yourself as often as is helpful, noticing the feelings they create in your body. Now bringing to mind a child you know and care about. It could be your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, godchild, or a child of a friend. Picturing them in your mind, their eyes, their smile, their hands. Now wishing them well with a word or phrase that resonates with you. Maybe that sounds like: May they experience warmth, may they experience moments of peace, may they feel held. Or you can just use single words like warm, peaceful, held, well. Speaking to them with a kind, caring voice. After saying the words, gently noticing the effect that they have on you. What arises in the mind and body? Sitting with whatever comes up for you in this moment. And then repeating another word or phrase or staying with the same one. May they feel warmth, may they feel held. And just continuing to repeat these words to yourself, noticing the feelings they create in your body. Bringing to mind this child's great-grandchild. It's about a hundred years in the future. This great-grandchild has the same eyes as a child you know today. Taking a moment to connect to this toddler in a hundred years time, in the 2120s. Their chubby legs, their smile, their gurgles of delight. And now wishing them well with a word or phrase that resonates with you like: May this child a hundred years in the future experience warmth, may they experience moments of peace, may they feel held. Or you can just use single words like warm, peaceful, held, well. Speaking to them with a kind and caring voice. After saying these words, noticing the effect they have on you. And just sitting...