A Loving Kindness Meditation Script
Free, belief-neutral, and printable. Read it, record it, or share it.
Loving kindness — sometimes called metta — is the practice of intentionally offering goodwill. You begin with yourself, then move outward in widening circles: people you love, neutral people, people you find difficult, and finally all beings everywhere. This script is written to be read slowly, with pauses where you see them. There is no right way to feel.
Before you begin
Sit comfortably. You can close your eyes or soften your gaze. Take three slow breaths. There is nothing to fix, nothing to force. If the words feel hollow at first, that is normal. Say them anyway. The feeling often comes after the words, not before.
The short version (≈ 3 minutes)
May I be safe.
May I be well.
May I be at ease.
May I be loved.
May you be safe.
May you be well.
May you be at ease.
May you be loved.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be well.
May all beings be at ease.
May all beings be loved.
The full script (≈ 10–15 minutes)
1. Yourself
Bring to mind an image of yourself, just as you are right now. Not the version you wish you were. The one who is here. Place a hand over your heart if that feels right. Breathe slowly, and silently offer these words to yourself:
May I be safe.
May I be well.
May I be at ease.
May I be loved.
May I thrive.
Repeat each line. Let the words land. If resistance shows up, simply notice it, and continue.
2. Someone you love
Bring to mind someone who is easy to love — a friend, a family member, a child, a teacher, a pet. See them clearly. Offer them these words:
May you be safe.
May you be well.
May you be at ease.
May you be loved.
May you thrive.
3. A neutral person
Bring to mind someone you neither like nor dislike. A cashier you saw this week. A neighbor whose name you don't know. A stranger on the bus. Offer them the same words. Notice that goodwill does not require closeness.
4. A difficult person
If you are ready, bring to mind someone you find difficult. Not the most difficult person in your life — start small. You are not excusing anything. You are simply practicing the strange and useful act of wishing them well. Offer them the words. If you cannot, that is okay. Return to yourself and try again another day.
5. All beings
Now let your attention widen. Your room. Your street. Your city. Your country. The continent. The whole earth. Every person, every animal, every life:
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be well.
May all beings be at ease.
May all beings be loved.
May all beings thrive.
To close
Return your attention to your breath. Notice how you feel. There is no right way. Take one more slow breath, and when you are ready, open your eyes.
A one-breath version
When you do not have ten minutes, you have one breath. This is the Love Light Practice:
Inhale 4 Feel love. Imagine light.
Hold 7 Let love, light, thriving, and blessings gather.
Exhale 8 Offer them to whatever has your attention.
Common questions
What if I don't feel anything?
That is normal, especially at first. The practice is the offering, not the feeling. Feelings follow the practice over time.
What if I cry?
Many people do, especially on the line for themselves. Let it happen. It is a sign the words are landing.
Can I change the words?
Yes. Use words that feel honest. "May I be at peace." "May you be free from suffering." The form is yours.
Can I read this to a group?
Yes. It is shared freely under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 for personal, community, and non-commercial use.