Please settle into a comfortable seated position.
You may enjoy practicing with your eyes open or closed as you prefer.
Begin by noticing the breath.
Become aware of inhaling and feeling the air expand inside of your lungs.
Become aware of exhaling and notice the feeling of release and letting go.
And as you breathe smoothly and comfortably,
Allow each breath to bring you more fully into your body in the present moment.
Before we begin the practice of Metta loving-kindness meditation,
Take the next few breaths to find comfort in your seated pose.
It may be helpful to notice the places where you are supported by the floor or the cushion,
Whatever surface is beneath you.
Perhaps allowing yourself to be grounded by sensing your feet on the earth or your seat in the chair.
And in other places,
It might feel good to stretch or reach,
Perhaps reaching up to the crown of your head,
Lengthening the spine gently.
And between the sensations of groundedness and expansiveness,
Notice where you might soften.
Maybe relaxing the muscles of the jaw,
The shoulders,
Softening the belly,
Or letting your hands be more open.
And as you breathe and feel,
And as you make contact with your body in the present moment,
Bring to mind the thought,
The name,
The image,
Or the feeling of being close to someone that you consider a dear friend.
As you invite this loved one into your awareness,
Breathe and connect to the qualities they embody that forge your friendship,
Your closeness.
You might remember how you feel when you're with them.
Maybe it's the sound of their voice or their laughter.
Maybe it's the way they listen.
But allow yourself a few breaths to contemplate their character,
Their qualities,
And in this way,
Bring them a little closer to you in your mind's eye.
And as you're able to connect with this dear friend,
We will offer the phrases of metta loving-kindness.
As I say a phrase out loud,
I invite you to repeat it internally,
Silently,
Or you might even whisper the phrase,
Offering these kind words to your dear friend.
May you be happy and peaceful.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be safe and protected.
May you live your life with ease and well-being.
And you might want to add additional phrases that are unique to you,
Unique to this relationship and this connection.
Perhaps you want to offer words of gratitude,
Words of encouragement.
You want to reflect on a shared experience between you and your friend.
And maybe you want to offer something without words,
Just a feeling that flows from your heart.
And so for the next few breaths,
You can offer your own phrase or message in your own way at this time.
And when it feels as if you have completed the message to your friend,
You can imagine that this message,
These well-wishes,
These kind words and thoughts are traveling towards your friend through time and space.
And so you can let go of the practice,
Maybe marking that with a breath in and a breath out,
Maybe with a sigh or a sound.
And come back to noticing the feeling of being in your body,
Your feet on the floor,
Your seat in the chair,
Your spine reaching upwards comfortably.
Feel yourself breathing smoothly in and out.
And notice what it's like for you to offer metta-loving kindness to a friend.
Notice the effect this practice has on you in the present moment.
And take a few more mindful breaths.
And as you prepare to return to your day,
Know that you can call upon the feeling or the phrases of metta-loving kindness at any point in your day.
Take a big breath in and let it out softly.
Thank you for taking this time to practice.
