We're going to do this guided practice.
This is a meta practice and we're going to explore warming our hearts toward different kinds of people.
So we tend to mentally put people in categories and I'll put aside that these categories like we're we are making these labels of course and I'll put that aside for right now because we're going to use these labels in our practice.
But these categories are the friend,
The neutral person,
And the difficult person.
So the friend is someone you really care about a loved one or a close friend.
That's why it's called the friend.
And then the neutral person is someone who you don't have any feelings about like a neighbor you don't talk to or your mailman.
And I don't know why I like the mailman example but I do.
But it's someone that doesn't mean anything to you.
And then the third one is the difficult person and that's someone you don't really like.
I usually will tell people to focus on maybe a person that annoys them and they don't even know why this person annoys them as the focus rather than I always tell people I don't want you to focus on your abuser if you have an abuser because that can really complicate your feelings toward the practice really.
So we're going to do this practice and if you want to look it up later this is the practice that's on page 49.
Take your seat in a comfortable posture allowing the body to relax and to settle.
Cultivate an inner listening to the life of your body and your mind.
Sense the thoughts and sensations arising and passing with a mindful kindness.
Bring into your mind attention a person in your life with whom kindness and friendliness arises without effort.
Reflect on that person and your own response cultivating metta as an attitudinal commitment.
And we're going to mentally recite these words.
May you be safe and well.
May you be safe and well.
May you be peaceful.
May you be peaceful.
May you live with ease and with kindness.
May you live with ease and with kindness.
And now I want to invite you to turn that same turn that same attitude of kindness toward yourself,
Your body,
Mind,
Heart,
However you are in this moment,
Whatever you are experiencing in this moment.
Embrace your own being with the same unstinting kindness you would offer to a loved one.
And then we will practice mentally reciting the phrases to ourself.
May I be safe and well.
May I be safe and well.
May I be peaceful.
May I be peaceful.
May I live with ease and kindness.
May I live with ease and kindness.
Allow space between the phrases and listen inwardly to whatever response arises.
Allow your attention to expand to include the friend,
The benefactor,
That's someone who has done a lot to help you,
The neutral person,
And yourself.
And once more make your home within the attitude of befriending.
May we be safe and well.
May we be peaceful.
May we live with ease and kindness.
Extending your attention further,
Invite into the field of your awareness someone you do not feel at peace with.
You can almost imagine the person sitting on the cushion next to you or in the next room.
Once more visualize that person or recall your last encounter with that person.
Listen inwardly to your own response,
However it is,
And explore what it is to stand near to that person and your own responses to that person.
Let the phrases be the anchor of your attention rather than the historical narrative.
As much as you are able,
Offer your willingness to befriend.
May you be safe and well.
May you be safe and well.
May you be peaceful.
May you be peaceful.
May you live with ease and with kindness.
May you live with ease and with kindness.
And if you find that ill will or anxiety arises and intensifies,
Explore what it is to find a refuge inwardly in the midst of these difficult emotions.
So this will be directed at yourself again.
May I be safe and well in the midst of this.
May I be safe and well in the midst of this.
May I be peaceful in the midst of this.
May I be peaceful in the midst of this.
May I live with ease and kindness in the midst of this.
May I live with ease and kindness in the midst of this.
So we'll just sit for a very short time in silence,
And I want you to just notice how you feel.
I want to thank you guys for doing that practice with me,
And I'm going to read to you one more quote from the book,
And then we can talk about any reflections you have on the practice,
Okay?
So this is the quote,
All beings are worthy of metta.
All beings benefit from metta.
It describes the most liberated and caring way of being in the world that cries out for the generosity,
Kindness,
And mindfulness that metta brings.
We learn to open our eyes and hearts to see and respond with care to everyone and everything that come into our world without exclusion.
The Buddha called this the most noble way of living in this world here and now.
