Loving Kindness: Forgiveness and Compassion

Pause for this loving kindness meditation that helps us breathe, soften, and make room for release without pretending pain never happened. We begin with self-compassion, extend kindness to someone we struggle with, and close with a prayer for peace and compassion spreading through God’s people and the world.

For more on the theme Forgiveness and Compassion, see page 136 of With God in Every Breath by Whitney R. Simpson.

Transcript

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Welcome And Where To Find More

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hi, I'm Whitney and you're listening to Exploring Peace Meditations. I'm glad you found your way here. As you take a moment to settle in and release your distractions, I'd love to remind you that you can find more meditations like this one at exploringpeace.com slash podcast. There's also a community that supports this podcast, and you can find my books and more at whitney rsimpson.com. So, are you settled?

Settle In With Breath

SPEAKER_00 0:40

Take a nice full deep breath and a nice long exhale. Today's meditation is a variation of loving kindness meditation. We'll be offering ourselves some grace and compassion. As you breathe in, notice your body receiving air. Life, breath. As you breathe out, feel your body soften a little bit. Release. Let go.

Self Compassion Loving Kindness Phrases

SPEAKER_00 1:25

Today's practice is not about forced forgiveness or pretending that pain or sufferings do not happen, but to simply create space for the possibility of release, for self-compassion, for kindness and care, for yourself, or maybe for another. So take a moment to picture yourself just as you are right now. Maybe you're tired. Maybe you're hopeful. Maybe you're uncertain. Maybe you're energized. Maybe you're feeling a lot of things all at once. We'll begin with ourselves today. Say to yourself these words, simply repeating them after me. May I be safe. May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I live with ease.

Extending Kindness To A Challenging Person

SPEAKER_00 2:59

Now take a moment to expand this compassion beyond yourself. And I invite you to think of a person with whom you have a challenge. Maybe it's someone you deeply care about, but you're needing to forgive them. Or maybe it's someone you don't know at all, that you're frustrated with, burdened by. Bring this person to your mind's eye. See them for who they are, for all the feelings they may be feeling today. And simply repeat after me, you could say you or you could fill in their name. May you be safe. May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you live with ease.

Widening Compassion To Everyone

SPEAKER_00 4:25

These are your neighbors, your family members, your friends. They're the strangers at the grocery store, the people in your city, state, the people in your country, the people in our world, the people you'll never meet, have nothing in common with, or so it seems. Could we offer all of us a bit of forgiveness and compassion today? By offering these words. May you be safe. May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you live with ease.

Compassion As Warm Light And Prayer

SPEAKER_00 5:21

Now as you imagine the world feeling more safe, happy, healthy and at ease. I want you to imagine compassion spreading, spreading amongst God's people, spreading across this world like a warm light. And as you imagine compassion being spread and shared, offer these words to all God's people. May all beings be treated with kindness. May all beings be free from needless suffering. May forgiveness grow where healing is possible. May compassion guide all our actions. May peace begin in each heart and extend. Remind us that you long for us to be safe, happy, healthy, and at ease. Where our troubles are, we invite your healing touch for ourselves and for others. Thank you, God, for your peace, your joy, your compassion, and your love. In your holy name we pray. Amen.

Forgiveness Invitation And Closing Blessing

SPEAKER_00 7:43

God longs to offer you forgiveness and compassion today. May you offer it to someone else too. Thank you for exploring the gift of God's peace with me. And until next time, may God's peace be with you.