Loving kindness or meta is a quality that can be cultivated to soften the heart,
Encouraging you to be more friendly towards yourself and others.
This practice uses repeated phrases and images to help evoke the feelings of loving kindness and friendliness.
Try it now to see if it can be useful for you.
Begin in a position that expresses the loving kindness you have or wish to have.
It can be seated,
Reclined,
Or leaning up against something for support.
And close your eyes.
Let your body relax and be at rest.
As best you can,
Begin to quiet the mind by focusing on sounds or on your breath.
You can begin to sharpen your awareness even further by mentally noting your experience.
In,
Out,
Or rising,
Falling.
Now picture a younger version of yourself at a time when you may have needed some loving kindness but didn't get it at that moment.
It can be you as a child,
A teen,
Perhaps when you were heartbroken for the first time,
Or even you as an adult.
Begin to recite inwardly the following phrases directed to this younger version of yourself.
In Meta practice,
We begin with ourself because if we don't love ourself,
It is impossible to love others.
May I be happy and healthy.
May I be free from inner and outer dangers.
May I be filled with loving kindness.
May I love and accept myself just as I am.
May I be happy and healthy.
May I be free from inner and outer danger.
May I be filled with loving kindness.
May I love and accept myself just as I am.
Let any feeling arise with the words,
Even if unpleasant.
Adjust the words and images so that you can find the exact phrases that best open you.
Continue repeating the phrases over and over.
And if the mind wanders and you forget at which phrase you were at,
Simply begin again.
When you feel ready,
Gradually expand the focus of your loving kindness to include others.
After yourself,
Choose a benefactor,
Someone who has taken care of you.
Picture them and recite the same phrases.
May he or she be happy and healthy.
May he or she be free from inner and outer danger.
May he or she be filled with loving kindness.
May he or she love and accept themselves just as they are.
May he or she be happy and healthy.
May he or she be free from inner and outer danger.
May he or she be filled with loving kindness.
May he or she love and accept themselves just as they are.
If you feel ready,
Expand your focus to include others,
Friends,
Neighbors,
Even people who you find difficult.
May he or she be happy and healthy.
Finally,
End the practice by sharing the loving kindness with all beings.
May all beings be happy and healthy.
May all beings be free from inner and outer danger.
May all beings be filled with loving kindness.
May all beings love and accept themselves just as they are.
May all beings be filled with loving kindness.
