So take a posture that feels comfortable and try to set your intention to develop a mind of metta for the next half hour.
So as we relax into the meditation posture,
Allowing the spine to lengthen,
The head to tilt just slightly downward,
The eyes gently closed,
The hands held just below the navel,
Thumbs touching,
And allowing your attention to settle just with the natural breath,
The Buddha breath.
Sitting upright and aware.
I like to begin each meditation with three long,
Slow,
Deep breaths.
If we do this each time we sit,
The mind and body will know a meditation session is coming,
Alerting it,
Informing it.
Now take the next minute or two and scan the body for areas that may be uncomfortable,
Areas that feel pleasant.
If you need to shift,
Do it mindfully and just check in with the body for a minute or two.
If you need to shift,
Do it mindfully and just check in with the body for a minute or two.
If you need to shift,
Do it mindfully and just check in with the body for a minute or two.
We should be settling in now.
Let's bring our thoughts back to Metta,
The idea of loving kindness,
The first of the Brahma Viharas,
Which are also known as the heart practices,
Or the four immeasurables,
These beautiful states of mind that we can turn towards and develop,
Filling our heart-mind with these states.
The Buddha told us that practicing Metta helps one gain tranquility and peace.
That's a byproduct of letting go of hatred and ill will.
The tranquility that we develop makes achieving concentration easier and faster,
Improving insight.
Without a mind of Metta,
Hatred and ill will can seep in,
Making concentration and insight difficult.
The way we practice the heart practices,
The Brahma Viharas,
Is we first begin offering loving and kind phrases towards ourselves.
And then we go through a set of stages towards others.
But let's begin by saying these phrases to ourselves.
May I be free from danger.
May I be joyful.
May I be healthy and live with ease.
Just repeat the phrases to yourself and always remember if the mind wanders or you forget the phrases and get tangled with something else.
When you become mindful,
Let those thoughts return to the background and go back to the phrases with no judgment.
Be gentle and kind to yourself.
May I be free from anger.
May I be free from anger.
May I be free from anger.
May I be free from anger.
May I be free from anger.
May I be free from anger.
May I be free from anger.
May I be free from anger.
Now we can let our focus on ourselves go for the time being.
Let our attention return to the breath and start thinking about someone we would call a benefactor,
Someone who's been kind to us,
Who has helped us,
Cared for us,
Someone who's made a difference in our life and we hold dear in our hearts.
And just as we want to be free from danger,
Joyful,
Healthy and live with ease,
With even the most minimal understanding of human nature,
Our benefactor too would want to experience those healthy,
Happy,
Joyful states.
So with that in mind,
Begin offering these loving and kind phrases to your benefactor.
May you be free from danger.
May you be joyful.
May you be healthy and live with ease.
Repeat them with your benefactor in mind and heart.
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Now again,
We let the benefactor go as our focus,
Letting the attention again settle with the breath.
And now bring someone to mind who is a close friend,
Someone you care for,
Maybe someone you haven't seen in a long time.
And just as your benefactor and yourself want to be joyous and healthy and free from danger,
So too does this close friend.
So begin offering this close friend the metaphrases.
May you be free from danger.
May you be joyful.
May you be healthy and live with ease.
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