10-Minute Guided Meditation for Kindness

Hi, my name is Chloe Freytag, and welcome to Get Healthy U TV meditations. Today we're doing a 10-minute guided meditation for kindness. Kindness is a quality that we can bring into our life in more abundance, simply by being aware of it and cultivating it. So today, we'll sit in a comfortable seat. You can do that either sitting cross-legged on the floor like me, or maybe sitting in a chair if that's more comfortable. You could also feel free to put a pillow or a blanket underneath your hips to elevate them a little bit. When you do find whatever seat you're going to take, go ahead and lift up your spine, kind of open your chest a little bit, relax the shoulders, and then choose to either close your eyes down or softly gaze down towards the floor. Start here by just taking long, deep breaths. Nice, big inhalations in, nice, full exhalations out. Use our breath to become more present, more connected to our bodies, to this moment. So just enjoy these first few breaths to ground into that meditative space, to connect to where you're at right now. And as you stay with that conscious slow breath, start to bring in this idea of the quality of kindness. So just noticing right away, what ideas do you have associated with kindness? What does kindness mean to you? Are there any examples that immediately rush in? Or actions? Just notice what the idea of kindness starts to make you think about. Take a few more breaths as you just allow this quality of kindness to develop more meaning. And with this idea and quality of kindness established or at least beginning to establish, we'll start to think about the most recent time or any time that comes to mind that somebody demonstrated you kindness. Just take a moment, stay with those conscious full breaths, in and out. We'll let the memory of that act of kindness that was demonstrated to you play out in your mind. Seeing the person that showed you the kindness. Remembering their activity, what they did. Remembering the details as much as you can, like what was their facial expression? How did their act make you feel? Remember all of these details of this exchange of kindness that was given to you. Just continuing to revisit that memory, enjoying, receiving that kindness. Be sure the breath is still flowing comfortably in and out as you develop and experience this memory. And when it starts to fade, just allow it to return back completely into your breath. And with our breath still flowing in and out, we'll start to bring forth a memory or an experience, recent or not recent, where you demonstrated kindness to somebody else. Let whatever memory is coming in completely play out in your mind. Remembering where you were, with whom you were giving this kindness to. And again, revisiting all the little details. Remembering how you felt giving out that kindness. How did the other person take it? What was their reaction? Take your time to allow this memory to play in your mind. Seeing yourself giving this kindness, seeing that exchange as the person receives it. Breathe long and deep and just fill yourself with the memory of that experience. Keep your breath very conscious and full as you continue to play that memory, allowing yourself to feel every part of that experience. Feeling how that kindness, that expression of kindness felt. And as the memory starts to fade, just allow it to soften. If it stays for a while longer, you can stay with that memory. No matter what, just taking those long, deep breaths, staying connected to your body and your breath through these memories. And with both of these memories fresh in your mind, start to notice the similarities between them. So two different experiences, but in some ways they were the same. Maybe the expressions interchanged were similar smiles. Maybe the feelings that you felt receiving and giving the kindness were similar. Noticing how whichever end of kindness we're on, be it given or be that we're receiving that kindness given to us, it feels good in our body, it feels good in our heart to be kind, it feels good to have others be kind to us. Just breathe long and deep into that feeling of kindness, and to that sensation, that expression in your body, noticing that you might naturally be smiling. And I invite you to set an intention, now that this kindness is so ingrained into your body and mind from our meditation, to find a way to express it today. To find some way in your day or evening ahead of you where you can share this kindness and let somebody else receive this same feeling that you have inside. Slowly, you're beginning to open your eyes once more, coming back into the room, into the space that you're sitting in. And notice how now there's a different energy to it. You have this emotion of kindness so full in your heart. Just notice how that has affected your overall state of being. And thank you so much for taking the time to meditate with us here today at Get Healthy U TV. Be sure to check out all of our other meditations as well. And remember, these are simple actions, simple activities, that can have a profound effect on your day, on your evening, on your life. Thank you so much and we'll see you here again next time.