So this is the metta meditation or loving kindness.
Loving kindness is another word for unbounded friendliness.
It's a heart centred meditation that focuses on good will.
Good will for ourselves,
Good will for others.
We'll start and end the meditation with the sound of the bell.
If you like you can place one or two hands over the heart.
Setting an intention to be kind to yourself.
Different aspects of this meditation can feel difficult so if it does anything that feels difficult just put your hand in your heart and give yourself some compassion for that difficulty.
Breathing in peacefully,
Breathe in life peacefully.
With your eyes closed and your hand over your heart,
Intention to bring friendliness to life.
Call to mind a being whom you find easy to love.
It could be a pet,
A cat or a dog,
It could be a friend,
Family member.
A being whom you find easy to love.
Someone who you have an easy and uncomplicated relationship with.
Or maybe just someone who's been kind to you.
And there may be a few common to mind.
So just choose one.
And you can visualise and picture this being and see them happy and smiling.
Feel it in your heart,
How much you wish them well.
And then offer these loving kindness phrases saying may you be well,
May you be happy,
May you live with ease.
So we're just repeating the phrases gently over and over.
And when our mind wanders we're coming back to the phrases and the intentions,
Goodwill and friendliness towards this being.
May you be well,
May you be happy,
May you live with ease.
And we don't even have to say the words may you be,
It's kind of over-fashing language.
We can just say the words with our wishing,
The well-wishing.
Be well,
Be happy,
Live with ease.
Be well,
Be happy,
Live with ease.
Now I want you to place yourself into the picture.
How you would normally be in relation to this being?
Same both of you together,
Same both of you happy and smiling.
And wishing both well.
May you and I be happy,
May you and I be well,
May you and I live with ease.
May you be well,
May you be happy,
May you live with ease.
Be well,
Be happy,
Live with ease.
Now we can let go of the other being and we can focus exclusively on our own we self.
Remembering the wise words that you as much as anyone else deserve your own love and affection.
So as best you can see if you can visualise your own we self,
Happy and smiling.
See if you can feel in your heart how much you wish yourself well.
And as best you can offer yourself differences.
May I be happy,
May I be well,
May I live with ease.
May I be happy,
May I be well,
May I live with ease.
And it feels a bit difficult to offer yourself this friendliness,
This loving kindness,
These volitions.
Just giving yourself some compassion because it's difficult.
Putting your hand on your heart and feeling the frizzles as best you can.
Be well,
Be happy,
Live with ease.
And I aware that there are other people here practicing,
That we're practicing together,
That even if we're practicing at home by ourselves that there are other people all around the world,
All around the world in their own rooms,
On buses or trains,
Practicing this meditation.
So if it feels right to you and your loving kindness,
Your good vibes,
Your well wishes,
If they feel strong enough right now you might like to send them out after all the other people here.
May all of us be happy,
May all of us be well,
May all of us live with ease.
And you know if you are sending out your good vibes and your loving kindness,
You know there's at least another 10 people in this room sending it back to you.
So right now we can visualize and imagine and actually are in a big bath of loving kindness,
Of energetic well-wishing,
Of good vibes.
May everyone here be well,
Be happy,
Live with ease.
Be well,
Be happy,
Live with ease.
You know every time you do this meditation you can decide how you're feeling,
What's right for you.
At this time it might be that you just want to stay with sending loving kindness for yourself,
Especially if it's difficult to do that,
You need it right now.
You may like to just send it to the people here in the room or if it feels right to you,
You can visualize and imagine all your friends and family across the country,
Maybe the other people around this building,
Maybe strangers,
Friends you haven't met yet,
People you'll never meet.
May everyone be happy,
May everyone be well,
May everyone live with ease.
It depends on how you're feeling,
You might like to send it out to all the animals and plants and minerals and spiders and mercibils and creatures all over the world.
May all beings everywhere be happy,
Be well,
Live with ease.
May all beings rest your poor,
Big or small,
Born or to be born,
May all beings everywhere be happy,
Be well,
Live with ease.
Now beings,
Be happy,
Be well,
Live with ease.
Breathing out our goodwill and loving kindness,
Coming back,
Generating from our heart our well wishes.
Be happy,
Be well,
Live with ease.
And then you can just let go of the prison,
Rest back quietly in your own body,
Allow yourself to feel what you feel,
Be who you are,
Noticing,
Paying attention,
Checking in with the heart,
Breathing in peace with them,
Breathe and out peacefully.
Body,
Speech and mind in perfect oneness.
I set my heart along with the sound of this bell.
May all those who hear it let go of our forgetfulness and transcend all our anxieties and sorrows.
So so so so
