Hello,
Kimberly Johnson here.
I am so honored you will be sitting with me today,
Exploring your inner world and your outer world.
I have been meditating since 2007 and am currently under the mentorship of the lovely Jack Kornfeld and Tara Brach.
My hope is leading you through meditations that give you access on the cushion and off of the cushion in day to day life to really develop and feel true peace,
True joy,
And true presence.
Today's sit will be a gentle introduction to metta or in some Buddhist traditions called loving kindness and in others loving friendliness.
And we're going to just start by you just gently letting the body settle,
Maybe taking some micro movements,
Getting the body ready,
Maybe even moving the hips front to back,
Settling the hips,
Preparing you to sit.
And as the body settles,
Maybe the eyes shut down,
Or maybe the gaze just softens and finds a gentle point to gaze at.
As your body settles,
Gently gather the attention and gently bring it into the body.
And notice what this feels like,
To be able to direct the attention into the body,
To move the attention wherever you want to move it.
Maybe you start right at the sit bones,
Right where your bum makes contact with the seat.
And just feeling the sensations here.
And then gently moving the attention up the spine,
Through the neck,
Right up to the nostrils.
Just beginning to pay close attention to the breath right here at the nostrils.
Noticing what it feels like when you inhale.
Noticing what it feels like when you exhale.
Feeling and experiencing the body breathing.
And then letting go of any tension that might be habitually held in the body.
Maybe at the jaw line or the shoulders,
Or the belly or the hands.
Letting the body relax and melt down toward the earth.
As we meditate,
You'll notice that your body picks back up tension and that we can continue to practice letting it go.
We'll pick it back up and we can let it go.
Letting the body be open,
Relax.
And as the body lets go,
Just continuing to keep attention on the breath.
Helping the mind settle.
And from this place of settling,
Bring to mind someone you care deeply for.
Seeing them,
Seeing their face.
Trusting whoever arises first.
And bringing to mind all the things that you love about them.
Connecting your heart to their heart.
As you see them and look upon them,
We'll gently begin to send them metta.
Knowing at any time,
You can choose words that are yours,
That feel best for you.
May you know peace,
True unshakable peace.
May you know happiness,
True happiness.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be free from internal and external suffering.
May you know peace.
May you know happiness.
May you know freedom.
Continuing to send the metta in the silence.
Spelling English.
Finishing the round your own and just getting really still for a few breaths feeling how metta feels,
What it evokes now imagine that your friends eyes have turned toward your heart and they begin thinking about all the things that they love about you and they begin sending you metta and really practice receiving,
Accepting loving kindness into your own heart may you know peace,
True unshakable peace may you know happiness,
True happiness may you be free from suffering,
May you be free from both internal and external suffering may you know peace,
May you know happiness,
May you be free as you continue to receive metta in the silence may you know peace,
True unshakable peace may you be free from suffering,
May you be free from both internal and external suffering may you be free from suffering,
May you be free from suffering finishing the round that you're on and once again just getting really still as we contemplate completion let's begin turning our gaze to all beings all beings that just like us experience 10,
000 joys and 10,
000 sorrows letting our heart open for even just a moment to include everyone not one being left out as we together recite metta to all beings may all beings know peace,
True unshakable peace may all beings be happy,
May all beings be free from suffering may all beings be free from suffering may all beings be free from suffering Getting still once more.
Feeling the energy of metta,
The gentleness,
The hard opening of metta.
And maybe you gently rock your hips left to right.
Maybe the shoulders follow.
Maybe the neck also loosens and follows,
Just beginning to bring movement back into the body.
Taking some deep,
Slow breaths as we reawaken.
Maybe slowly the eyes find their way open,
Gently looking around,
Noticing the surroundings,
And fully coming back into your environment.
May you take loving kindness with you everywhere today.
