Transforming ill will with love and kindness.
So I invite you to create your intention just very briefly.
Remember your intention.
And if you don't have any intention,
That's okay as well.
You can intend to just be open to whatever happens.
Remember your posture.
Ensure that you are comfortable,
Upright.
If you're sitting up symmetrical,
If you're lying down.
Make a commitment to doing this practice in the best way possible that you can do.
Can this begin by settling the body,
Mind and inner speech into quietude and stillness for a short period.
Using whatever works for you.
Could be being attentive to sounds,
Could be being attentive to your breath,
Could be being attentive to your body in some way.
Grounding yourself.
Just for a few moments.
So now I invite you to bring to mind something quite mild in the form of an irritation or a difficulty,
A frustration,
A disappointment,
A loss,
Perhaps something to mind that's not too strong.
This is not the time to process very painful events in our lives.
Just something minor.
If you can,
Recognize the experience that you're experiencing in response.
Put a name to it if you can.
And I invite you to accept the experience as it is.
Be willing to watch the tendency to want to move away from it and instead turn towards it.
Turn towards it in a form of curiosity.
And let yourself feel what it's like to have this particular emotion perhaps or experience.
Where do you feel it?
Investigate.
How do you experience this particular emotion or pattern?
Recognizing it,
Accepting it and inquiring into it.
Perhaps courageously.
Letting go of the no.
And if you can,
Allowing a yes to go into it.
Feeling it.
Exploring it.
Even honoring it.
And going deeper,
Deeper.
Looking at what's the soft emotion underneath this particular emotion if it's anger or frustration or irritability.
What's underneath that?
Is there an unmet need for example?
Is there a belief about the world or yourself underneath this?
Whatever it is,
You are right.
And if there's an unmet need,
Ask yourself,
What do I need right now?
What do I truly need?
And what do you need to hear?
What do you need to know?
What do you need to hear from others,
For example,
Or even from yourself?
Is it I'm actually okay?
That I am lovable?
That I am safe?
That it will be okay?
And then imagine receiving what you need,
Perhaps from a figure,
A person,
Or perhaps from the world,
Or perhaps from yourself,
Receiving exactly what you need and hearing the words that you need.
Nourishing,
Recognising,
Accepting,
Investigating,
And nourishing that part of you that needs nourishing.
Being kind to that part of you that needs kindness.
Nurturing that which needs nourishing.
That which needs nurturing.
And if you feel any movement around the area of your heart,
Any softening or opening,
Any tenderness,
Allow it to be.
And see if you can put a may I in front of the words that you need to hear.
May I be peaceful,
May I be happy,
For example.
May I be safe.
May I be loved.
May I accept myself as I am.
And if you feel the urge to put your hand on your heart as a reminder of this good intention,
Or other soothing place in your body,
Such as giving yourself a hug,
Holding your hand,
Or whatever is appropriate,
Tune into that nourishment and nurturing.
May I… May I ease your now.
In a few moments we'll end this exercise.
If it has been helpful in any way for you to transform ill will to loving kindness,
Remember what you did.
And remember you can access this quality of loving kindness as you need.
