Welcome.
We are going to do a practice called loving kindness or metta.
And this is an opportunity to offer loving kindness.
Both to ourselves and others.
And so this is really a heart practice.
So we can begin this practice simply.
Letting your body rest and your heart be soft.
Sit so that you can feel comfortable.
And relax any areas of the body that might be tense or tight.
So take some moments to feel the breath at the heart.
Breathing in,
Sensing that you're receiving warmth.
And energy.
And breathing out.
Sensing that you are letting go into openness.
So breathing in warmth and energy.
Breathing out a sense that you are letting go into openness.
Closing your eyes or lowering your gaze.
And connecting with your longing to feel safe.
Protected.
And alert.
So bring to mind a place in the world.
Or in your imagination,
Where you feel deeply at home.
So take some moments to evoke this with your senses.
Imagining the forms,
The colors,
The smells and sounds.
Of your healing place.
It might be outside in nature or in your bedroom.
And if nothing comes to mind,
It can be just where you are now.
Can you feel yourself being held?
By the peaceful comforting energy.
Around you.
Taking a moment to establish this.
Now bring to your mind or into your heart.
Someone that you feel loved by.
It might be your grandmother,
A beloved teacher.
Your cat or dog.
Or dearest friend.
But think of someone where love comes easily and uncomplicated.
You might also imagine a more formless presence.
That you experience simply as warmth and light.
And picture this person or presence when their love is turned towards you.
And breathe in gently.
And recite inwardly the following phrases directed towards their well-being.
And you can choose the phrase that resonates with you.
You could even choose your own.
But I will repeat some.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be held in loving kindness.
May you feel safe and at ease.
May you feel protected from inner and outer harm.
May you be happy and joyful.
May you accept yourself just as you are.
May you experience love.
Joy,
Wonder.
And wisdom in life just as it is.
May you be held in the heart of love.
And as you repeat these phrases,
Hold this loved one or presence in loving kindness.
Repeat the phrases and intentions,
Letting the feeling wash over you.
Like warm water in a bath.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be held in loving kindness.
May you be safe and at ease.
May you feel protected from inner and outer harm.
May you be happy and joyful.
May you accept yourself just as you are.
May you experience love,
Joy.
Wonder and wisdom.
In life just as it is.
May be held in the heart of love.
This meditation can at times feel mechanical or awkward.
It can also bring up feelings of irritation and anger.
If this happens,
It's especially important to be patient and kind towards yourself.
Allowing whatever arises to be held in the heart of blood.
Now,
Turn your love and kindness towards yourself.
If it's helpful,
You can imagine this loved one or presence.
Gazing back at you with the same well wishing.
They want you too to be held in kindness.
To be safe and well,
To feel joy.
So picture them saying this to you kindly.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be held in loving kindness.
May you feel safe and at ease.
May you feel protected from inner and outer harm.
May you be happy and joyful.
May you set yourself just as you are.
May loving kindness manifest throughout your life.
May you experience.
Love.
Wonder and wisdom.
In life just as it is.
May you be held in the heart of love.
And as you repeat each phrase,
Open to whatever images and feelings arise with the words.
You can approach this meditation as an experiment.
Sensing what words and images best serve to soften and open your heart.
You might explore placing your hand.
Gently on top of your heart.
To see if this deepens the experience of holding yourself in kindness.
So repeating.
May I be filled with loving kindness.
May I be held in loving kindness.
May I feel safe and at ease.
May I feel protected from inner and outer harm.
May I be happy and joyful.
May I accept myself just as I am.
May I experience love,
Joy.
Wonder and Wisdom.
In life just as it is.
May I be held in the heart of love.
Again,
If you notice feelings of agitation,
Fear.
Shame or confusion.
Without judgment.
Include this in the meditation.
May this too.
Be held in loving kindness.
Then simply return.
Accepting whatever thoughts may arise.
And when you've established a sense of loving kindness for yourself.
This is a practice.
You can expand your meditation to include others.
So you can include those in your household.
Or in your community.
Your circle of friends.
So you can choose.
Someone or somebody of people that you'd like to send loving kindness to.
And offer.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be held in loving kindness.
May you feel safe and at ease.
May you feel protected from inner and outer harm.
May you be happy and joyful.
May you accept yourself just as you are.
May you experience love.
Joy.
Wonder and wisdom,
In life just as it is.
May you be held in the heart of love.
So gradually extending your meditation.
Step-by-step to picture and include neighbors,
Community members.
People everywhere.
Animals.
All beings,
And the whole earth.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be held in loving kindness.
May you feel safe and at ease.
May you feel protected from inner and outer harm.
May you be happy and joyful.
May you accept yourself just as you are.
May you experience love,
Joy,
Wonder,
And wisdom.
In life just as it is.
May you be held in the heart of love.
You can let that go.
Bring your awareness to your heart.
And we'll end this meditation with a poem.
Of the Sufi Master.
We are the people of loving kindness.
Leaders and guides of one another.
Through the purity of love.
We are helpers of one another.
Though in body separate,
We're all but one spirit.
We are all the soul.
Spirit,
Heart,
And beloved.
Of one another.
We are all one people.
Without you.
And I.
There is only we.
All equal.
All love.
All companions of one another.
Taking a few more breaths.
Once you have radiated your loving kindness outward,
You can come back.
Into the space.
Of your room,
Into your body.
And when you're ready,
You can open your eyes.
