In this meditation we explore "Wet" and "Dry" Loving Kindness. Dry loving kindness is primarily thoughts-based, using repetition of phrases to change your inner "soundtrack." Wet loving kindness is an emotion-based practice where we try to evoke the feeling of kindness and explore what gets in the way. In this guided meditation we try both types.

We work with several modes of practice which can be developed in formal practice as well as in daily life (and that are discussed in the talk and discussion following this guided meditation). After a period of grounding in the body, we work with a heart practice (such as lovingkindness), a specific teaching (practicing with the sequence from contact to the feeling-tone of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, to wanting, and to grasping from the teaching of Dependent Origination is briefly given), and a "mixing" or "mingling" of formal meditation and a daily life activity.

It’s good to clear everything before we die, to leave no spiritual debts that may heavily impact our karma. Seeing the powerful healing of joy and kindness, I take up the practice of inner cleansing day by day, applying metta – loving-kindness practice – through the luminosity of forgiveness. This potent flame of reconciliation melts away any harmful residue or holding in the heart so that not a flutter or tremor of ill-will remains. Let us avail ourselves of its power. At the shrine of forgiveness, we light the light of joy and freedom within while fostering happiness for other beings. This is the fount of both medicine and cure – reconciliation and liberation of the heart.

Developing a felt sense of loving-kindness and compassion as based on the meditation instructions the Buddha taught

This meditation establishes a kind attention by bringing the imagery and felt sense of a smile into the body scan and then, with the breath as a home base, opens the attention to changing experience. We end with a brief loving kindness reflection.

A brief talk and guided practice of bringing loving kindness to ourselves and blurring the boundaries between this body and the rest of the world.