Integrating loving kindness in your meditation practice helps improve emotional health, increases compassion and empathy, and heals your relationships. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, here’s a meditation that shows you how to send loving kindness to your partner.
Find a comfortable, quiet space at home. Once you get settled, find a yoga mat or chair to sit on. You can also find a wall to sit up against. Just make sure you feel at ease, when you do take your seat.
When you’re ready to begin your meditation, start by scanning the body. Survey the shape of your body from the top of your head down to your toes. Then, notice how the body feels today. Soften any areas that may hold tension.
Connect with your breath. Apart from feeling your inhalations and exhalations, notice the passage of breath to and from your body. Feel the air going in through your nose and out through your nose.
Finally, begin to visualize your partner. And allow yourself to feel any feelings that may come with this visualization—whether it’s joy, warmth, or any other positive emotion.
If there are any negative feelings or anxiety that come up, simply observe them. The goal of this meditation is not to analyze any underlying negative energy, after all. The goal is to simply send good energy to your partner.
As you acknowledge the emotions that you feel, begin to repeat the following words to yourself. You may say these to yourself quietly, or out loud: May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you always loved and protected.
Repeat these words about three to five times. If you have time, you can continue repeating these for several minutes. You can modify these statements and create your own, as these positive affirmations will still send loving kindness to your partner.
While you’re repeating these statements, visualize your partner embraced in warm light. Visualize your partner receiving this energy, noticing their expressions and reactions as they receive your loving kindness.
When you are ready to end your meditation practice, let go of your visualization. Feel the weight of your body and the rhythm of your breath. Then, open your eyes.
