Hello and welcome,
I'm Joanna Barrett and I'm so grateful you're here.
I'll be your guide for this extended Metta meditation,
A heart-centered practice rooted in loving-kindness.
Metta,
Also known as loving-kindness,
Is a powerful practice that nurtures inner peace,
Expands our capacity for compassion,
And invites greater harmony into the world around us.
With each phrase we repeat,
We'll move a little closer to greater compassion,
Presence,
And love for ourselves,
One another,
And the world.
Let this be a time to connect inward,
To soften your mind and open your heart.
We'll offer goodwill to ourselves and then gradually extend it outward.
Please take a moment to settle in.
Whether you're seated or lying down,
Allow your body to find a position that feels easeful and supported.
As you arrive more deeply in this present moment,
Take a few nourishing breaths,
Slowing down,
Releasing,
Arriving.
This is your time for connection.
As we rest our attention on the repetition of loving-kindness phrases,
First we'll offer them to ourselves and then to others.
To start,
Bring your attention to yourself and feel into your heart space.
Breathe now,
Right into the deepest well of your heart.
I invite you to recite these phrases after me,
Either silently or aloud.
May I be safe and well.
May I be happy and content.
May I be healthy and strong.
May I be peaceful and at ease.
In this moment,
Bring your attention to someone you love and care about,
Such as a friend,
Family member,
Or pet.
Take a breath.
I invite you to recite these phrases after me.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and content.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be peaceful and at ease.
Next,
Bring your attention to a neutral person,
Perhaps someone you don't know well or you just have neutral feelings towards them,
Such as a shopkeeper or a neighbor.
Take a breath.
I invite you to recite these phrases after me,
Sending this person loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and content.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be peaceful and at ease.
And now,
Bring your attention to someone you may have some difficulty with.
This could be someone you've had a disagreement with or any sort of challenges.
Take a deep breath.
I invite you to recite these phrases after me,
Sending this person loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and content.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be peaceful and at ease.
In closing,
Bring your attention to all beings everywhere and take a deep breath.
Now,
Send the energy of these phrases to everyone everywhere.
May all beings everywhere be safe and well.
May all beings everywhere be happy and content.
May all beings everywhere be healthy and strong.
May all beings everywhere be peaceful and at ease.
And finally,
Let's complete our goodwill offering of loving kindness to anyone who comes to your mind and into your heart.
Take a moment to let your intuition guide you.
Breathe deeply into your heart space.
And when you're ready,
Begin to awaken yourself to this new moment with inner peace,
Compassion for all,
And greater harmony in the world around us.
Thank you for your practice.
Thank you for your practice.
