Loving-Kindness Meditation - A Vessel of Peace A guided meditation by Ven. Ayya Khema Please put your attention on the breath for a few moments. Imagine yourself to be an empty vessel in body and mind. Fill that empty vessel with peace and let the peacefulness flow through your whole body. Let it enter your mind taking up every nook and cranny, so that you feel yourself to be only peace. Then surround yourself with a golden mantle, which consists of love and feel yourself completely embraced by it, soft and yielding, warm and protective. Now pour the peace that fills you into the person nearest you, and then take the golden mantle of love and surround that person with it. Use yourself as a vessel that contains only peace and pour it all into every person here. Make the golden mantle large enough to embrace everyone with warmth and care. Now pour the peace into your parents and surround them with the golden mantle of love. Give the gift of peace to those, who are nearest and dearest to you. Embrace them with your love, protective caring, warm and secure. Let all your good friends share the peace that is within you. Let them have part in it and surround them with the golden mantle of love - shining and clear, supportive and concerned. Think of all the people who are part of your life. Those whom you see here and there, whether you speak to them or not. Share yourself with them. Pour peace into their hearts and give them your love. If there is anyone in your life whom you find difficult or towards whom you are quite indifferent, give that person your gift of peacefulness. Embrace him or her with your love. Let there be no difference in your love for different people. Now start pouring out peace to people near and far. The more you have in your heart, the more you can give. Let it go far and wide, wherever you think it is needed and wanted. Touch people's hearts with the peace you are sharing with them, with the love you are extending to them. Across the whole country and across the oceans, surrounding the whole globe and all its inhabitants, let peace and love flow from your heart. Put your attention back on yourself. Feel yourself filled with peace and embraced and surrounded by love, fully at ease, completely secure. May all beings have love and peace in their hearts.   A Bee bg