Let's take a moment to dive in to the body.
Let's take a moment to be with these teachings of self-love through the Dharma lens.
Let's take a moment to be with ourselves,
In ourselves,
As ourselves.
So I invite you to close your eyes,
If that's comfortable for you,
Or a soft downward gaze.
Find a comfortable posture in your body.
Sitting upright if that's available to you.
Taking a stance of receiving.
Inviting yourself here,
Into your body,
Into this moment,
Into the now.
You can engage in a small body scan.
Noticing if there's any tension held anywhere,
Any contraction.
If so,
Simply notice and breathe into it.
Scan your body for any spaces of expansion,
And breathe into that.
Give yourself the grace of simply being here,
In these few moments.
Just as you are.
Just as it is.
Meeting yourself in love.
Meeting yourself with the intention of no harm,
Ahimsa,
Non-violence,
Grace,
Gentleness,
Patience.
Meeting yourself in the space of self-compassion.
Mindfully aware of what is here for you,
Without judgment.
Offering self-kindness,
Gentle word.
And remembering the common humanity of our lived experience.
We have all known sadness.
We have all known fear.
We have all known anger.
And meeting yourself in love,
Means offering loving-kindness to yourself.
And so,
I invite you to repeat these phrases after me,
In your own mind,
Or out loud.
Or you can create your own phrases.
This Loving-Kindness Metta Meditation begins by offering loving-kindness to our own selves.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I live with ease.
Deep breath.
And now bring to mind a loved one.
And offer loving-kindness to them.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live with ease.
Deep breath.
Now you offer loving-kindness to a neutral party.
Someone you see while driving,
Or on the street,
At the supermarket.
And you offer to them.
By keeping them in mind,
You offer,
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live with ease.
And now bring to mind someone who's difficult to love.
I call these the porcupines.
Could be someone you know personally,
Or someone out in the world,
That feels challenging for you to love.
Hold them lightly,
And offer them loving-kindness.
May you be healthy.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
And may you live with ease.
And lastly,
We offer loving-kindness to all sentient beings.
Bring in mind all beings,
Humans,
Animals,
Pets,
Trees,
Flowers,
Even the oceans and the mountains,
The wind and the sky.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live with ease.
Deep breath.
When you're ready,
You can open your eyes.
Bring yourself into the space.
Maybe roll your neck,
Your shoulders,
A little shaking,
A little tapping.
Whatever it is that you need.
Just bring yourself back into presence.
As I read our closing poem from Rumi,
The 13th century poet.
This poem is on my recordings,
And it's titled The Breeze at Dawn.
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don't go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don't go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the door sill where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don't.
Let us share the merit that whatever benefit might have come to us from listening and being here together,
May it benefit ourselves and may it be of benefit to everyone we encounter and may it aid in the healing and transformation of our world.
Om shanti shanti shanti.
Peace in your body.
Peace in your heart.
Peace in your mind.
Peace in your body.
Peace in our world.
Thank you,
My friends.
