Quan Yin Meditation
 

This Kwan Yin meditation may be done by the light of the full moon
or simply by the light of your own imagination.

Sit in a comfortable chair, close your eyes, let your body relax,

                                 ............and for a few moments pay attention to your breath.

Now, in your imagination visualize that you are transporting yourself to a beach on the ocean.
Imagine your favorite stretch of sand next to water and place yourself there.

It is a cloudy night. Hear the steady soft rhythm of the waves, feel the warm sea breeze, smell the salt air.

Now, look up to see a beautiful round full moon that has just risen.

Watch the moonlight shimmer on the water

Gaze at the moon - for a long time.

Now see it get brighter and brighter, until you can barely look at it.

Gradually the moon becomes Kwan Yin herself, her body surrounded by a golden, glowing aura.

Slowly she descends toward you, until she stands on a lotus blossom that floats on the waves.

She is a mature woman with Asian features, an ornate headdress and flowing robe.

At sight of you, Kwan Yin smiles a beautiful smile and tears of happiness shine in her eyes.
She is so glad to see you.

As she comes closer, let her radiance enter you.
Let her strength, her peace, and her compassion become a part of you.

In this moment, you feel endless, bottomless compassion for yourself and all other creatures.

Your difficulties, your weaknesses, your inadequacies; all those ways in which you do not measure up to your own standards; all those moments in which you acted carelessly or unskillfully, or when you were immobilized by confusion; all your pain that sometimes seems endless, rising up when you least expect it

.................let these aspects of yourself be utterly accepted by you.

Feel your suffering and confusion surrounded by the love that Kwan Yin awakens in you.
Let yourself surrender into her compassion for all life.
And stay there as long as you need to.
Stay there - as long as you need to.

Finally, it is time for Kwan Yin to leave.
You see her in front of you again.
As she moves away, she becomes smaller and smaller.
At last the sea and sky vanish, too and you rest in contemplation of the beautiful empty space that is left.
Let yourself open into that space and experience it, so restful.
 

When you are ready, come back into the space of the room you occupy,
into your body, as you experience it sitting on your chair or pillow.

Focus for a few moments again on your breath, and when you are ready, open your eyes.

 [