Loving-Kindness For Queer Community
by B Syde
This guided metta meditation offers loving-kindness to yourself and to others across the queer community—including mentors, chosen family, acquaintances, those who challenge us, ancestors, youth, and all queer beings everywhere. You’ll be invited to gently repeat phrases of care, compassion, and connection, supported by grounding cues and spacious pauses. This practice honors both the joy and the struggle of being queer, offering a moment of stillness to remember that you are not alone. Whether you’re new to meditation or returning to your cushion, all of you is welcome here.
Transcript
Hi,
I'm Brad from B-Side,
And this is a special loving-kindness meditation in honor of pride.
In this practice,
I'll be using the word queer as a stand-in for the LGBTQIA plus community.
I know not everyone identifies with that word.
If it doesn't feel right for you,
Please feel free to substitute what resonates.
Let's begin by settling into a comfortable position.
If you're sitting on a chair,
Try the front third of your seat,
Or wherever feels most supported and balanced.
Let your spine be tall but not rigid,
Hands resting naturally,
Feet grounded.
If it feels okay,
Gently close your eyes or lower your gaze.
Remember,
This is your practice.
You can pause,
Open your eyes,
Shift your posture,
Or step away at any time.
You are in charge.
The meditation will begin at the sound of the bell.
Begin by feeling the weight of your body.
Notice the points of contact.
Your seat.
Your feet.
Your hands.
This is your foundation.
Take a moment to soften any tension you feel.
Not forcing,
Just allowing.
And if that's not available right now,
That's okay too.
Let's take three slow breaths in through the nose,
Down into the belly,
And out through the nose,
Trying to make sure that you're breathing.
Try to make the exhale twice as long as the inhale.
Inhale gently,
Letting your belly expand.
Exhale fully,
Letting tension release.
When you've taken your three breaths,
Let your breathing return to its natural rhythm.
Simply notice it as it is,
Without trying to change it.
If breath awareness ever feels uncomfortable,
You can focus on the sensation of your hands resting in your lap,
Or the support beneath you.
Now,
Let's shift our attention to offering loving kindness to ourselves and others.
If at any point this practice feels overwhelming,
You can always return to your breath or another point of focus.
Loving kindness is like planting a seed.
Even if we don't feel it fully now,
With practice,
It can grow.
As Mother RuPaul wisely says,
We begin by sending loving kindness to ourselves.
If offering kindness to yourself feels difficult,
You can imagine someone you love saying these words to you,
Or visualize a warm light surrounding you.
Repeat these phrases to yourself,
Trying to feel the warmth,
Sincerity,
And meaning behind them.
May I be safe.
May I be peaceful.
May I be healthy.
May I live with ease and well-being.
If these phrases feel challenging,
You might soften them by saying,
May I try to be safe.
May I try to be peaceful.
May I try to be healthy.
May I try to live with ease and well-being.
Even if it feels awkward or untrue,
Repeat them anyway.
You're building a new pattern.
May I be safe.
May I be peaceful.
May I be healthy.
May I live with ease and well-being.
You are worthy of this care,
Just as you are.
Now,
Call to mind a queer mentor.
Someone who helped you feel seen,
Real or imagined,
Alive or gone,
Famous or personal.
Picture them in your mind's eye and repeat,
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
Imagine them receiving your care with a soft smile.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
Let your gratitude flow toward them.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
Thank them silently for lighting the way.
Gently release their image on your next exhale.
Now,
Think of a queer person you don't know well.
Maybe someone from work,
Your building,
Or a local cafe.
Hold them gently in your awareness as we send them loving kindness,
Too.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
You may not know their story,
But you know you share something sacred.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
We're practicing connection,
Even without closeness.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
On your next exhale,
Allow this person to fade from your mind's eye.
Now,
If it feels okay,
Bring to mind someone queer whom you find difficult.
Not your greatest nemesis,
But someone who's maybe a 3 to 5 out of 10 in challenge.
Maybe there's friction,
Envy,
Misunderstanding.
That's okay.
With as much honesty and compassion as you can muster,
Say,
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
Notice any emotions that arise.
If there is resistance,
That's okay.
This is a practice of planting seeds,
Not forcing feelings.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
This isn't about excusing harm,
It's about freeing your heart.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
Remember,
If they were truly at peace,
They wouldn't cause pain.
Let them go from your mind's eye with compassion.
Now bring to mind someone or many in your chosen family,
Whomever shows up for you.
We say to them,
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
Feel your connection to this person or group of people.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
Let appreciation warm your chest.
May you be safe.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
You are part of each other's healing.
Gently let them go on your next exhale.
Now let's turn our hearts to our queer ancestors.
Those who lived,
Loved,
Resisted,
And survived,
Often in silence.
Those who danced in protest,
Wrote in code,
Marched in defiance,
Or simply existed when it was dangerous to do so.
We may not know their names or what they looked like,
But we can still call to mind their presence,
Their essence,
And offer them this care across time and distance.
We say to them,
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
Even if we don't know their names,
We carry their strength.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
We also extend care to queer lives lost,
To AIDS,
To suicide,
To violence,
To the weight of being unseen,
To grief spoken and unspoken.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
May their memories be blessings.
May their stories be told.
May we honor their legacy through their work.
Through our joy,
Our resistance,
And our rest.
We can let our ancestors go from our mind's eye on our next exhale.
Now call to mind the queer youth,
Those just discovering who they are.
Some joyful,
Some scared,
Some still in hiding.
We say to them,
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
Maybe you are still becoming.
You belong here too.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
Let your love reach the corners of closets and classrooms.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease and well-being.
You are not alone.
We see you.
We love you.
On your next exhale,
You can release all the queer youth.
Now we're going to expand our heart to include all queer beings.
Every species.
Every gender.
Every body.
Every story.
Everywhere on our planet Earth.
Those living in joy.
Those navigating shame.
Those still discovering who they are.
Bringing to our mind's eye,
All queer everywhere.
We say,
May we be safe.
May we be peaceful.
May we be healthy.
May we live with ease and well-being.
Let your care travel beyond borders.
Beyond language.
Beyond what you can see.
May we be safe.
May we be peaceful.
May we be healthy.
May we live with ease and well-being.
We hold in our hearts queer beings living in places where being out is dangerous or illegal.
May they know they are not forgotten.
May we be safe.
May we be peaceful.
May we be healthy.
May we live with ease and well-being.
Let your breath carry this kindness to every corner of the world.
You are part of something vast and beautiful.
On your next exhale,
Let all those beings go.
As the practice slowly comes to a close,
Begin to gently return your awareness to your body.
Feel the parts of you that are supported.
The weight of your hips,
Your feet,
Your hands.
Notice any warmth,
Openness,
Or stillness that might be present.
If you feel exactly the same as when you started,
That's okay too.
This practice isn't about reaching a particular state.
It's about showing up.
It's about planting seeds of care,
Whether they bloom now or later.
You might gently wiggle your fingers and toes.
Roll your shoulders.
Soften your jaw.
If your eyes are closed,
You can begin to blink them open,
Letting the light back in slowly when you're ready.
There's no rush.
Take your time.
Let whatever you experience today be enough.
There's nothing to be afraid of.
There's nothing to fix.
No way to fail.
Simply being here was an act of courage,
Of tenderness,
Of connection.
Let the effects of your practice ripple outward into your next conversation,
Your next breath,
Your next moment.
The meditation will end at the sound of the bell.
Thank you for your practice.
Thank you for your heart.
Thank you for your queerness.
You are not too much.
You are not too sensitive.
You are not alone.
See you next time and happy pride.
