Hello and welcome.
I'm Shell from the inside.
Thank you for pausing with me.
This is a short practice today of loving kindness known as Metta in the ancient language of Pali or Maitri in Sanskrit.
It's a heart centered meditation that originates from the Buddhist tradition,
An invitation to cultivate compassion,
Warmth and goodwill for others but also ourself.
We're not trying to force emotion,
We're just planting seeds of care with presence.
Even if the heart feels a little quiet or unsure,
The practice itself is the offering.
So take a moment to get really comfortable.
You can either lay down if you need or you might prefer to just take a nice comfortable seat.
Spine nice and long,
Allow the body to soften and let the breath come home.
Let yourself arrive just as you are.
Gently close your eyes or a soft gaze towards the earth.
And now we begin.
I want you to bring to your heart someone who makes you smile.
A dear one either alive in your life or in your memory.
Someone you love and picture them in your mind.
Feel the warmth of that connection and repeating this either silently to yourself or out loud if you prefer,
Whichever works best for you.
With that person in mind and sitting there gently in your heart,
We offer them this loving kindness message.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live a life full of love and ease.
Let your breath carry these wishes like petals on a breeze.
Now gently call to mind someone familiar but not deeply known.
Might be the neighbor you wave to,
The shop assistant or barista or someone you pass on your walk and give a nod to.
Without needing a story though,
Just see them.
Bring them to mind and we offer again from the heart.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live a life full of love and ease.
Notice what it feels like to extend that kindness without attachment.
Now bring to mind,
This one's not so easy,
But bring to mind someone whom things are strained or unresolved.
They may not be in your life any longer.
You don't have to like them,
You don't have to feel ready,
Just offer what you can.
We bring them to mind and we softly repeat.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live a life full of love and ease.
Let the practice be spacious,
Let it be enough.
Now expand your heart outwards.
Imagine all the people all around your life,
Near and far,
Perhaps known and unknown.
All of us just trying to live and love and offer the same message.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings live a life full of love and ease.
Allow it to radiate like sunlight from your inside out.
And then we invite one hand to our heart.
Perhaps the most important one is yourself.
Gently returning home to you.
Feel the breath in your chest and belly.
Feel the ground beneath you.
And we let our inner garden bloom as we offer inward this time.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I live a life full of love and ease.
Let it be true.
Take a deep,
Warm breath in.
Feel your chest lift.
And a long,
Slow breath out.
Feel the belly soften.
Begin to return.
Wiggle gently into the toes and fingers.
Allow the eyes to open.
Let this loving kindness linger with you and trust that any seed planted today will grow in its own time.
Thank you for being here.
Have a wonderful day.
Namaste.
