This is a 10-minute guided metta meditation practice.
Metta is a contemplative practice which we are contemplating thoughts of loving-kindness towards ourselves and towards others.
So please find a comfortable seat.
You may also do this lying down.
You take a seat on a cushion or a bolster or if you have a meditation cushion.
Please see that you're propped up.
You may lean up against a wall if that is helpful.
You may also sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor,
Legs uncrossed.
In either position the hands are resting on the thighs or on the lap.
Palms may face up or down.
You may rest your dominant hand in your less dominant hand.
So once you've taken a seat,
You may want to do this practice with your eyes closed.
You can use imagery to help guide the practice.
So allow yourself to follow your breath.
Take a few full inhales and exhales and feel the length of your breath coming in through the nose into your body.
The rib cage expands and then exhaling,
Releasing the breath,
The shoulders relax down away from the ears.
Your seat connects with the earth,
Your prop,
Your chair.
To allow the earth to support you and ground your body.
Notice where your feet are,
Either crossed or on the floor.
And notice where the sit bones are touching the floor of your seat.
The spine is upright and relaxed.
And allow the shoulders to gently release down your back,
The shoulder blades down the back,
As if hands are touching your shoulders and saying,
It's okay,
I'm here.
A good friend is here.
So we'll begin with self.
We'll send the phrases of loving kindness to ourself.
We'll be contemplating these phrases.
May I be happy?
May I be healthy?
May I be safe?
May I live with ease?
So we'll be working with those four phrases for these next few minutes of practice.
So please do bring an image of yourself just as you are right now.
See if you can see yourself and can you greet yourself openly without judgment?
Feel breath in your body.
And we'll offer ourself the phrases,
May I be happy?
May I be happy?
And repeat this to yourself.
May I be happy?
May I be healthy?
May I be healthy?
May I be safe?
May I be safe?
May I live with ease?
May I live with ease?
And let's breathe in fully,
Exhale,
Release your breath and allow the image to dissolve as if it's just floating away in the bubble.
And come back to body in your breath.
And now we'll work with someone who has helped you unconditionally,
Someone who has been there for you and been kind.
You know who this person is.
They have a name.
See if you can generate an image of them in your mind.
And we offer this person the phrases,
May you be happy?
And you can say their name.
May you be happy?
May you be healthy?
May you be safe?
May you be healthy?
May you be healthy?
May you live with ease?
May you live with ease?
And breathe in fully and allow the image of this person to dissolve.
Just letting it go.
And come back to being in your body,
Feeling your breath.
Now if you can imagine the image of the earth in your mind from the moon's point of view,
This round sphere earth.
Maybe you can see the blue greens of the ocean.
The browns of the earth,
The mountains,
The dirt.
We can imagine we get a little bit closer and we start to see movement,
The trees,
The birds in the sky,
And the animals,
Free in the desert and the forests,
And people.
Some relaxing,
Moving slowly,
Some perhaps moving more quickly.
And everyone's relaxed.
Imagine just moving in sync with each other in a sense of ease.
And we can send to all sentient beings everywhere,
Take them into our minds and into our hearts.
May we be happy.
May we all be happy.
May we be safe.
May we all be safe.
May we be healthy.
May we all be healthy.
May we live with ease.
May we all live with ease.
Breathe in fully,
Exhale,
Coming back into the body and the breath.
Feel your body just as you are,
Where you are.
Take a moment to recognize your practice and thank yourself for taking this time to be with your mind and your body.
And our practice is over.
Slowly move the fingers and the toes around to wake up the body.
If you're lying down,
If you're sitting,
You may open your eyes.
Namaste.
