Loving-Kindness Meditation: Find Your Healing Phrases

How to Find Your Perfect Loving-Kindness Meditation Phrases

This powerful pen-and-paper exercise helps you discover personalized mantras for your meditation practice. Follow these steps to create phrases that resonate deeply with your heart.

What You'll Need:

• Quiet space
• Pen/pencil
• Paper or journal

Step 1: Prepare for Your Practice

1. Find a comfortable seated position
2. Place your hand over your heart or another comforting spot
3. Close your eyes and begin gentle breathing

Step 2: Discover Your Core Needs

1. Visualize your heart opening like a flower in sunlight
2. Ask yourself: "What do I truly need to feel fulfilled today?"
3. Let universal human needs arise (connection, peace, kindness)
4. Open your eyes and write down what comes to you

Common Loving-Kindness Phrases:
- "May I feel connected"
- "May I be kind to myself"
- "May I live in peace"

Step 3: Identify Words You Need to Hear

1. Close your eyes again
2. Ask: "What words would I love to hear every day?"
3. Examples might include:
   • "I love you"
   • "You're enough"
   • "I'm here for you"
4. Write down what emerges

Step 4: Transform Words into Mantras

Convert your phrases into meditation-friendly formats:
- Original: "I am loved" → Mantra: "May I know I am loved"
- Original: "You're safe" → Mantra: "May I feel safe and secure"

Step 5: Practice With Your Phrases

1. Choose 2-3 finalized phrases
2. Close your eyes and whisper them slowly
3. Imagine speaking to a dear friend
4. When distracted, place hand on heart and return to phrases

Benefits of Loving-Kindness Meditation

• Increases self-compassion
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Improves emotional resilience
• Enhances feelings of connection

Pro Tip: Revisit this exercise periodically as your needs evolve. Your perfect phrases may change with different life seasons.

This practice originally appeared on ChrisGermer.com.