This is a loving kindness meditation.
I first encountered it in my Buddhist studies some years ago.
You may know it also by the name Metta,
M-E-T-T-A,
A Sanskrit word that's often translated as beneficence or loving kindness.
The loving kindness practice often follows a particular format.
So we'll begin by offering loving kindness to self.
Then we'll offer loving kindness to a loved one.
We'll offer loving kindness next to someone with whom we have a neutral relationship.
Then we'll offer loving kindness to someone with whom we have a challenging or difficult relationship.
And then we'll finish by offering loving kindness to all beings everywhere.
To invoke the feelings of loving kindness,
We'll employ a particular mantra.
And with that mantra,
We will wish happiness,
Then safety,
Freedom,
Peacefulness,
And ease.
Take a moment now to prepare for meditation.
Find a comfortable seated position if you're not already there.
And just let your awareness rest on your breath for a moment.
Feel the breath.
Follow it as it flows in and flows out.
Continue following the breath,
Letting everything slow and settle around you.
And allow yourself to become present.
Let go of distractions of thinking about the past or the future.
Just follow your breath.
Notice how it flows in and how it flows out.
Just a couple more breaths,
And then we'll begin.
We'll start now by offering loving kindness to the self.
Imagine that you're seated.
With your eyes gently closed,
Bring to mind an image of yourself.
See the image right in front of you.
Now look at the image of self and repeat after me,
Either silently or out loud if you prefer.
May I be happy.
May I be safe.
May I be free.
May I be peaceful.
And may I be at ease.
Keep your gaze fixed at the image of yourself and take a moment or two to imagine what conditions need to exist in your life for you to cultivate the sense of happiness,
Safety,
Freedom,
Peace,
And ease in your life.
Continue cultivating feelings of deep loving kindness towards the self.
Know that you are worthy of happiness.
You are worthy of safety in your life.
You are worthy of freedom,
Peacefulness,
And ease.
See how all these feelings and conditions are interrelated to one another.
They're not separate.
They are part of a single whole.
Feel now both the giving and receiving of loving kindness to the self.
Let yourself drop more deeply into those feelings.
And now let it go.
Follow your breath in and out.
And another breath in and out.
Now bring to mind a dear loved one,
Perhaps a spouse or a partner,
A child,
Or a dear loving friend.
Call to mind an image of that person and hold that image directly in your mind.
See the person and now offer them loving kindness.
Say to the person,
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be free.
May you be peaceful.
May you be at ease.
Continue gazing at the image of your loved one.
Offering them loving kindness.
See them receive the loving kindness.
Know that it is reciprocated.
And now let that go.
Now begin to bring to mind a specific person with whom you have what we've referred to as a neutral relationship,
Perhaps just an acquaintance,
Maybe a neighbor that you know not very well.
Maybe the cashier at the grocery store.
Or a co-worker that you don't know very well.
Hold that person's image in your mind.
See the person right in front of you.
Look them in the eye.
And then let's recite our mantra.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be free.
May you be peaceful.
May you be at ease.
Continue gazing at the person.
Intensifying your feelings of loving kindness.
See them receiving the feelings.
Hold their gaze another moment.
And then let it go.
Let their image fade away.
Bring to mind now,
Someone with whom you have a difficult or a challenging relationship.
This doesn't need to be someone you actually know in real life.
It may be someone who you've seen on the news,
Perhaps a political figure,
Perhaps a political figure,
Or someone that you've seen,
Or someone whose views you profoundly disagree with.
Bring to mind their image.
Gaze at that person.
Hold their gaze as we repeat our mantra,
Offering that person genuine loving kindness without reservation or condition.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be free.
May you be peaceful.
And may you be at ease.
Continue gazing.
See the person gazing back to you.
Continue offering your feelings of loving kindness.
And then let their image fade away.
Now bring to mind an image of all people everywhere.
Imagine them all arrayed in front of you.
People young and old,
People of every gender,
People of every color,
Every nationality,
People you agree with,
People you disagree with.
Imagine them all.
Now offer them loving kindness.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be free.
May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be at ease.
Take a moment now to imagine some of the conditions that would need to exist for all the elements of your loving kindness to come true for all beings everywhere,
For everyone on earth to be happy,
For everyone to be safe,
For everyone to be truly free,
For everyone to be at peace and at ease.
Now bring to mind one or two concrete things that you can do today to facilitate the conditions that would bring loving kindness to all beings everywhere.
And resolve to take those one or two actions this very day.
Now bring your awareness back to your breath.
Feel the breath flowing in and flowing out.
And this concludes our loving kindness meditation.
