Time Needed
15 minutes each day
Loving-Kindness Meditation:
Relax Your Body:
Close your eyes and sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor and your back straight. Take a moment to relax your entire body. Keep your eyes shut as you focus inward, gently following the instructions without forcing your concentration.
Inhale deeply, then exhale.
Focus on the Warmth of Your Heart
With your eyes still closed, think of someone close to you who loves you dearly. This could be a loved one from any time in your life, including someone who has passed away, or even a spiritual mentor. Visualize this person standing by your right side, sending you their love and well-wishes for your safety, happiness, and well-being. Feel their warmth and affection directed toward you.
Next, think of another person who cares deeply for you, imagining them standing on your left side, also extending wishes for your health and happiness. Embrace the kindness and warmth this person is sending your way.
Now visualize being surrounded by all the people who have ever loved you, including friends and family. Imagine their warm wishes for your happiness and health wrapping around you. Feel yourself filled with their love and warmth.
Send Loving-Kindness to Those You Care About
Now redirect your focus to the person on your right. Send back the love you feel towards them. Recognize that, like you, this person desires happiness. Share all your warm feelings and good wishes with them.
Silently repeat these phrases:
May you experience ease, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering.
May you experience ease, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering.
May you experience ease, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering.
Shift your attention to the person on your left. Begin to send your love and warmth to them. Understand that they, too, wish for a fulfilling life.
Silently repeat these phrases:
Just as I wish for myself, may you be safe, may you be healthy, may you find ease and joy.
Just as I wish for myself, may you be safe, may you be healthy, may you find ease and joy.
Just as I wish for myself, may you be safe, may you be healthy, may you find ease and joy.
Now think of another person you care for, such as a family member or friend. Recognize that this person, like you, seeks happiness. Send warm wishes their way.
Silently repeat these phrases:
May your life be filled with joy, health, and well-being.
May your life be filled with joy, health, and well-being.
May your life be filled with joy, health, and well-being.
Send Loving-Kindness to Neutral Individuals
Think of someone you don’t know well—an acquaintance toward whom you have no particular feelings. Recognize that you and this person share the desire for a good life.
Send your wishes for their well-being by repeating these phrases silently:
Just as I wish for myself, may you also experience ease and joy.
Just as I wish for myself, may you also experience ease and joy.
Just as I wish for myself, may you also experience ease and joy.
Now think of another neutral acquaintance, someone you see occasionally but don’t know well, such as a neighbor or coworker. This person also wishes to experience joy and well-being in life.
Extend your good wishes to them by repeating these phrases silently:
May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be free from suffering.
May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be free from suffering.
May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be free from suffering.
Send Loving-Kindness to All Living Beings
Now, broaden your perspective and visualize the entire world in front of you as a small globe.
Send warm wishes to all beings across the globe who, like you, seek happiness:
Just as I wish for myself, may all of you live with ease, happiness, and health.
Just as I wish for myself, may all of you live with ease, happiness, and health.
Just as I wish for myself, may all of you live with ease, happiness, and health.
Take a deep breath in. Breathe out. Take another deep breath in and release it. Notice how you feel and the state of your mind after this meditation.
When you feel ready, open your eyes.
This article is adapted from Greater Good In Action, a project released by UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. The exercise incorporates a guided meditation developed by Emma Seppälä, Science Director at Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, and author of The Happiness Track (Harper One, 2016) and Sovereign (Hay House, 2024).