With regular practice, this meditation will guide you toward a
better relationship with yourself, those you are close to, and the
world around you.

Loving Your Enemies Meditation
This meditation will take anywhere from five to 20 minutes, or even
longer if you wish. The important thing is to be comfortable with
it. You don't really need to time yourself. However, we recommend
staying in Stages 1 and 2 for one to two minutes each; in Stage 3
for three to five minutes; and in Stage 4 for five to 15 minutes.

1. Get into a comfortable, seated position, either in a chair with
your legs uncrossed, or on the floor. Adjust your posture so that
your spine is upright, yet your body feels relaxed. Rest your hands
in your lap or on your thighs, with the palms facing up or down.

2. Close your eyes and bring your attention to your breathing. Take
a few conscious and deep abdominal breaths. Let your exhalations
carry out any tension or anxiety you're feeling now, and use them
throughout your meditation to expel any tension or anxiety that
comes up.

If it is helpful, you may use the previously recommended
affirmations—"I am" on the in-breath and "calm and relaxed" on
the
out-breath—to center yourself during this practice.

3. Bring your awareness to your heart. Allow your breaths to massage
this area. Notice any specific feelings or thoughts you may have
about yourself, people you know, or any particular event. Cultivate
a detached and nonjudgmental attitude to anything that comes up for
you.

4. Continue to focus on the heart area while doing the following:

* Cultivate a friendly and accepting attitude toward yourself and
your friends.

* Develop feelings of compassion and understanding for all those who
suffer.

* Be joyful in your thoughts about a particular person who's
important to you or a saint or guru you hold in high esteem.

* Maintain feelings of indifference and equanimity to anyone who has
harmed you or anyone else. Don't get sucked into their mean-
spiritedness or harmful deeds.

5. To complete your meditation, take three to five deep abdominal
breaths. Open your eyes and slowly get up.

Allow the focus of this meditation to be the fourfold stages of
opening your heart in order to clear your mind. Realize, however,
that it also incorporates other elements common to all forms of
meditation: choosing a stable and comfortable position, awareness of
breath, use of affirmation, and imagery. It's all right if only one
of the stages dominates the meditation. For example, you may be
drawn to the concern for a friend who is in pain, or you may want to
focus on the life's work of someone who inspires you. No better
advice can be given here than to—literally—listen to your
heart!