The purpose of this meditation is to generate a strong recognition that all living beings are my mother and then to meditate on this wish in light of the advantages of self cherishing.

I began with some breathing meditation, imagining my breath like a pure wind passing unseen through space. I focused on this for a while before moving on to the next stage.

I began by focusing on the thought that all living beings have been my mother in past lives. After a while I felt like I could see them all, both in this world and in other realms. They were lit up with light and I somehow felt close to them, despite being so far away from them. I focused on this feeling of being emotionally close to them and having a special bond with them, and kept it for the rest of the meditation.

I then thought about what this means in light of the advantages of cherishing others. I realised that if I can always hold others to be my mother, then it will be no problem for me to cherish them, and to experience the benefits that brings. With a strong recognition that all living beings are my mother, I will be able to cherish everyone easily. I rested my attention on this for the rest of the meditation.

Dedication

May all living beings see their true relationships with others, and cherish them like a mother and her dearest child, so that they quickly attain enlightenment for the benefit of all.

Practice in the Meditation Break

I will try to see everyone as my mother.