So,
Let's do some practice,
And today I want to offer a Metta practice,
A loving-kindness practice,
And loving-kindness for ourselves.
Not always the easiest person,
So we'll start with an easier person,
But then we'll move to ourselves.
So,
With Metta practice,
It's good to be in a very comfortable,
Comfy posture,
And so that means you can lean back and relax in your chair,
Or maybe you're lying down.
It doesn't have to be an upright posture for Metta practice.
And as you settle in and close the eyes,
If that's available to you,
Or lower the gaze,
If it's not,
As you do that,
Just take a moment to connect with yourself.
Notice how the body is feeling right now.
Notice the breath in the body.
Let go of anything that's not necessary just for the next nine minutes,
Anything you can let go of.
And call to mind some being who you really love,
And they really love you,
And it's easy,
Really easy.
So,
Could be a human being,
Could be a canine being,
Feline being,
Could be an elder,
Could be an ancestor,
Could be a child,
Easy child,
And just have that experience of calling this being to mind and how much love there is going back and forth,
That physical sensation,
And check out the body,
Where does it reside,
Or where is it alive for you right now?
Could be the heart,
Or the face,
Or the belly,
Or the toes,
And wherever that feeling of love is most prominent,
Just let it flow around through the body,
Just let it bump around through the body and fill up the body.
Helps to turn the corners of the mouth up ever so slightly,
And then sometimes it also is helpful if you want to put a hand on the heart,
Or a hand on the belly,
Or both,
And think about a moment in your own life when you felt safe,
And maybe that's now,
Or maybe that's when you were four,
Or maybe that's just a moment in time,
And call that to mind and let this love that you've been paying attention to lift up that feeling of safety,
And you can say to yourself,
May I be safe,
May I be safe,
Safe from inner harm,
Safe from outer harm,
May I be safe.
And then think of a moment in life when you were happy,
Just easy happy,
Could be right now,
Could be the last time you had an ice cream cone,
Could be the last time you saw a good friend,
Walked in the woods,
Hugged your dog,
Snuggled up with your cat,
And let that memory collide with all this love that is in the body right now,
And just say,
May I be happy,
May I be happy.
And then imagining the greatest measure of health that you could possibly have right in this moment,
And really wish that greatest measure for yourself,
And say,
May I be healthy,
May I be healthy.
And then what is the,
Just the freest that you could imagine yourself being?
Free from harm,
Free from suffering,
At ease,
Resilient,
Grounded.
And just with all of that imagination,
Connecting with the love in your body and your heart,
Just wish for yourself to be free,
May I be free,
May I be free.
And just invite you to take this with you into your day,
And you can take it with,
By just taking the four words with you,
Safe,
Happy,
Healthy,
Free.
And then anytime during the day,
Just stop and take a breath,
And wish these,
Wish these four things for yourself,
And for everyone,
For everyone else.
