Byron Katie says,
It's not your job to like me,
It's mine.
And that's what this meditation is all about.
It's about finding space,
Making peace within ourselves through self-compassion in a meta meditation.
And so I'd like you to find in this moment what your body needs most.
And that might mean sitting in a seated position or lying down.
And it often takes a while for the mind to settle.
So I want you to be kind.
First,
Let's start with your physical body.
On the exhale,
Just relaxing,
Sending the breath,
Releasing into gravity.
Gently,
On the inhale,
Lift your heart towards the sky.
Breathing in through all your pores and exhaling,
Releasing fully towards the earth.
Create this beautiful symphony of giving and receiving with the energy of your breath.
Knowing that in this moment,
There is only this moment.
Slowly take the breath all the way down your body to the soles of your feet.
And then inhaling,
Allowing the breath to rise all the way to the crown of your head.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Find a rhythm that resonates within your own heart.
And feel yourself drift deeper and deeper into a space of no resistance.
Metta means loving kindness and it is the practice of offering compassion.
And today we're going to begin by offering it to ourselves.
Befriending ourselves is a part of the meditation path.
It is the path to self-awareness and to truly know who we are and to connect with who we are.
I will be offering affirmations and you can simply allow them to draw into your heart and repeat them in your own mind.
If at any time you intuitively feel you need more self-compassion,
More self-love and kindness,
Then you can practice what we call soothing touch.
And that means placing your palm energetically on anywhere in your body where you feel a little tightness.
Often it could be on the heart,
Just rubbing at the heart center or sometimes in the mind or sometimes on the stomach.
Wherever you feel it in your body,
Listen to that inner wisdom.
And remember,
We cannot give from an empty cup.
We offer ourselves self-compassion,
Cultivating mindfulness,
Loving kindness and knowing we are not alone on this journey.
We share the thread of common humanity.
And so let's take a deep inhale through the nose and exhale,
Release the breath out.
And with your eyes softly closed,
Create a little movie screen at the back of your eyelids and bring to mind a being who receives your love freely.
Perhaps that is a pet.
If you don't have one,
Imagine an animal or a creature,
A beautiful being whose presence softens your heart.
See their face.
Feel that unconditional love and adoration.
Notice how it feels in your physical body.
And notice how it feels in your heart center.
Feel their energy.
Notice their presence.
And notice how your heart responds.
Perhaps there's a natural tenderness,
A feeling of warmth and care.
And breathe into that sensation.
Take a deep inhale through your nose and exhale,
Release your breath.
Now let's extend that same gentle loving kindness to yourself,
Releasing any judgment about who you think you are,
What you look like,
What you have.
In this moment,
There's nothing to fix or change.
It is simply about holding space for yourself through self-compassion,
Through self-care,
Through self-love.
And if it resonates,
Maybe place your hands at your heart center.
As I share these affirmations,
Just allow them to radiate to you.
May I be gentle with myself,
Especially in difficult moments.
May I hold space for all my feelings.
With kindness and compassion.
May I remember that I am not alone on this journey.
May I offer myself the love and care I so freely give to others.
May I trust in my own heart and the wisdom it carries.
May I trust in my own heart and the wisdom it carries.
Breathing into your heart center.
Sending the breath wherever your body needs loving kindness.
Continue to connect with your breath as you settle deeper and deeper into silence.
And stillness.
And self-compassion.
And now in the movie screen of your mind,
Extend compassion to someone you care about.
Someone who loves and supports you.
Someone who cares for you unconditionally to the best of their ability.
Feel gratitude for their presence in your life.
And surround them in a beautiful white light.
As you hold them in your mind's eye,
Send these loving words to them.
May you be gentle with yourself.
May you hold space for your feelings with kindness.
May you remember that you are not alone.
May you feel the love and care that surrounds you.
May you trust in your own heart and the wisdom it carries.
And then taking a deep inhale and exhaling that love out into the universe.
Sending that white light to that person who you love and care about.
Now bring to mind somebody who is neutral.
Someone you know but don't really interact with deeply.
Someone who represents all neutral beings in your life.
Could be somebody at the store.
Somebody in your neighborhood.
To someone who does not trigger positive or negative images or mental ruminations.
And recognize their presence,
Their energy.
Offering them these intentions.
May you be gentle with yourself.
May you feel safe and supported.
May you know kindness and love.
May you trust in the wisdom of your heart.
And then taking a deep inhale and a long exhale.
Being extra gentle here as we extend compassion to someone you struggle with.
Someone who has been difficult for you.
This is not about forgiving them.
It's really about releasing the grip.
Releasing the grip of suffering.
Releasing the grip of your own suffering by creating space.
If it's possible,
See them in their own struggles,
Their own fears,
Their own wounds.
Not to excuse their actions but to free yourself from holding on to suffering.
If this is challenging,
Return to your breath.
Offer yourself soothing touch.
And know that in this moment you are safe.
And gently offer these words.
May you find peace within yourself.
May you know kindness and healing.
May you be free from pain and struggle.
May your heart be at ease.
And then take a deep inhale and exhale.
Release any tension.
Continuing to allow the exhale to release from your physical body any resistance,
Any struggle,
Any ill will.
And allow yourself to come back to your own body.
Your own self.
In this moment offering yourself self-compassion.
Placing your palm anywhere on your body where you're feeling or noticing tension.
And then release.
And finally,
Let's expand this compassion to all beings,
To everyone in the world.
To all creatures that walk,
Fly,
Or swim.
To all plants and to all life.
Imagine the world in the palm of your hands as you offer this up.
May we all be gentle with ourselves.
May we all feel the energy of love and kindness.
May we all trust in the wisdom of the universe.
May we all live in peace.
Feeling your whole body breathing in and breathing out.
Let's take about three minutes of silence to listen to your heart and hear the whispers of any intentions that are resonating with you in this moment.
Continuing to marinate in this softness until you hear the sound of the crystal singing bowl.
And then slowly coming back.
Breathing in a sense of peace.
And exhaling,
Sending that breath of life to yourself and to all beings.
Knowing that this thread of breath of Metta loving-kindness connects us all.
May you be well.
May you be at peace.
May you be loved.
From my heart to yours,
Namaste.
