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AccessorySkillsTrainingManual - RO DBT 4.1

The document provides a script for a loving kindness meditation practice. The script guides taking a seated position, focusing on the breath, feeling loving kindness in the heart, sending kind wishes to someone known and cared for, someone neutral, and ending with returning to the breath and heart.

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Ruslan Izmailov
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80 views

AccessorySkillsTrainingManual - RO DBT 4.1

The document provides a script for a loving kindness meditation practice. The script guides taking a seated position, focusing on the breath, feeling loving kindness in the heart, sending kind wishes to someone known and cared for, someone neutral, and ending with returning to the breath and heart.

Uploaded by

Ruslan Izmailov
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Skills Training Manual for RO DBT

Radical Openness Handout 4.1

Radical Openness Handout 4.1


A Script for Loving Kindness Meditation
Remember, the goals of LKM practices are to induce a positive mood state associated with social safety.

• Use the following script to make an audiorecording. It is designed to be read aloud. We recommend that
you do not change the wording. Practice using the script as it is currently written first. Research has demon-
strated this script to be the most useful for people in RO DBT skills classes. If you decide you would like to
make changes to the script, work with your individual therapist or skills instructor before doing so.

• Commit to a daily practice.

Getting seated
Find a comfortable seated position in a chair, on the floor, on the sofa. The most important thing is that you find a
position in which you feel alert and the chances of you drifting off to sleep are minimal. For the practice of loving
kindness you can keep your eyes open or closed—­the choice is yours—­with the understanding that our goal is to
remain awake, as best we can.

Noticing the breath


Once you find that position, begin by simply taking a breath—­with awareness. Not trying to change the breath or fix
it in some way, just being fully present with the full duration of the inbreath and the full duration of the outbreath.
You may notice it most strongly in the nose and the throat. Some people notice the breath in the chest or the belly.
Wherever the breath is most alive for you, just allow yourself to rest your awareness there. If your mind wanders
away from the breath, which it is prone to do, then, without judgment, just simply bring yourself back to the next
natural inhalation or exhalation.

Finding our heart center


And now, very gently, allow your awareness to move from your breath to your heart center. Into that place, right
there, in the middle of the chest. Not as much the physical heart but that place where we tend to feel warm
emotions. If you would like to do so, sometimes people find it helpful to gently place their open hand over the location
of their physical heart as this can help facilitate the practice.
As best you can, try and find a memory or feeling sense of a time when you experienced a strong sense of loving
kindness, either from someone or toward someone. It might have been the first day you met your life partner; the day
a child or grandchild was born; it might have even been a particular afternoon with your favorite pet, or a time
when you felt warm appreciation after helping or being helped by someone. The idea is not to find the perfect
experience or image, nor should you be concerned if you find yourself thinking of many different events or
experiences. The idea is—­as best you can—­to re-­create the warm, tender, or positive feelings associated with prior
experiences of loving kindness, and to allow these feelings to grow in your heart center. For just a moment, allow
these feelings to grow.

© Thomas R. Lynch. Permission is granted to the reader to reproduce this form for personal use. 25
The Skills Training Manual for RO DBT Radical Openness Handout 4.1

Sending loving kindness to a person we care about


And now, in your mind’s eye, gently bring into focus an image of someone you care about, a person you already
have existing warm feelings for, may feel love toward, or may feel a sense of positive connection with. It doesn’t have
to be a perfect relationship or one without conflict—­the idea is to find an image or feeling sense of someone you
know whom you already have warm feelings for. As best you can, hold this image or a feeling sense of this person in
your heart center. And now, from the feelings of loving kindness in the center of your chest, extend warm wishes to
this person you care about. Using these phrases, silently repeat to yourself…
May this person be at ease.
May they be content with their life.
May they be joyful.
May they feel safe and secure.

Again, extending warm wishes of loving kindness to this person you care about…
May they be at ease.
May they be content with their life.
May they be joyful.
May they feel safe and secure.

And again, from the source of loving kindness in your own heart, extending well wishes to this person you already
care for…
May this person be at ease.
May they be content with their life.
May they experience joy.
And may they feel safe and secure.

And now, gradually allow the image or feeling sense of this person you care for to gently dissolve from your mind’s
eye, resting your attention back in your heart center, back into those feelings of warm loving kindness—­as best you
can.

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The Skills Training Manual for RO DBT Radical Openness Handout 4.1

Sending loving kindness to a person we feel neutral about


Bring to mind an image of someone who you don’t really know, who you’ve at least seen once but don’t feel any
connection with one way or another. It could be your postman, or a supermarket clerk you’ve seen, or someone else
of that sort. And again, as best you can, from your own heart, extending warm wishes of loving kindness toward this
person you hardly know about, saying silently…
May this person be at ease.
May they be content with their life.
May they be joyful.
May they feel safe and secure.

Again, extending warm wishes of loving kindness to this person you hardly know at all…
May they be at ease.
May they be content with their life.
May they be joyful.
May they feel safe and secure.

And again, from the source of loving kindness in your own heart, extending well wishes to this person you barely
know…
May this person be at ease.
That they be content with their life.
That they be joyful.
That they feel safe and secure.

And now, with warm loving care, gently turn your attention back to the sensations of your breath and your heart
center, allowing the image or feeling sense of this person you hardly know to be released—­allowing yourself to rest
here, in this moment, with your feelings of warmth and kindness. Remembering that you can carry with you
throughout your day these warm feelings of love and kindness that you were able to generate, knowing that you can
always find your heart center when needed and making a kindhearted commitment to integrate this practice of
loving kindness into your life, as best you can. And when you are ready, you can open your eyes and bring your
attention back into the room.

End of practice

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