Metta comes from the Pali word for friendliness,
Related to the Sanskrit metri and the word mitra,
Meaning friend.
So when we practice metta,
We are practicing befriending ourselves,
Others,
And every moment of our experience.
Different situations and different people can trigger our mental afflictions,
Making kindness less accessible.
There is no doubt that in the earlier stages of the practice,
It's easier to have warm feelings towards someone we feel close to than towards someone who we find difficult.
It's not about waiting for the perfect conditions to be kind.
Kindness can be our friend in moments of distress and when we are dealing with challenging people.
Another point is that we start where we are with cultivating kindness.
It's okay if in the beginning,
You might not feel expensive towards others.
We wouldn't need a path if we were perfect and it's perfect that you are here now.
Paraphrasing Shiron Suzuki,
We are perfect the way we are,
But we can do with a little improvement.
So let's practice.
Begin by finding a comfortable posture in which you are both relaxed and alert.
You can be seated on the floor with crossed legs or on a chair with both feet grounded on the floor and hands resting on your knees.
Upright,
Not uptight.
If you prefer,
You can lay down with legs parallel and arms extended alongside your body.
Now you can close your eyes or lower your gaze.
Welcome yourself in by placing a gentle smile on your face.
Now bring your attention to your body,
Noticing any obvious sensations,
Feeling the touch points between you and the earth,
Enjoying the surroundings.
That is offered to you.
Taking advantage of the support to relax.
If there is any obvious tightness or tension in the body that you can easily soften,
Please do so.
Let's take three cleansing breaths together by inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.
Second time.
One more time.
We start cultivating kindness towards others where it's easier.
So bring to mind someone who embodies kindness.
It can be a loved one,
Family member,
A friend,
A spiritual guide,
Or a pet.
Choose one person now and you can include the others in the later stage of this practice.
Visualize this person,
See her or his face as if they were here with you.
There are simple sentences that I will be offering as an invitation for you to repeat silently towards yourself.
Use what resonates with your heart and feel free to come up with your own sentences,
Words,
Or energy you would like to kindly offer to others.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe and secure.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you know peace and live life with ease.
Now let's repeat these phrases again,
Allowing them to sink in more deeply.
Of course,
You can also use your own words.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe and secure.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you know peace and live life with ease.
Now that we're connected with someone easy to feel kind towards,
Let's extend this kindness towards others.
Now bring to mind a person who is struggling,
Someone who needs support.
Let's send your altruistic thoughts to them.
As Seneca said,
Wherever there is a human being,
There is an opportunity for kindness.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe and secure.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you know peace and live life with ease.
Now let's repeat these phrases again,
Allowing them to sink in more deeply.
Of course,
You can also use your own words.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe and secure.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you know peace and live life with ease.
Next,
Let's bring to mind someone neutral,
Where your feelings are neither warm or tense.
Now bring to mind a stranger,
Someone who you don't have strong negative or positive feelings towards,
Someone who you see often but don't really know.
It's important to bring to mind a real person,
To not fall into the trap.
I love humanity.
It's people I can't really stand.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe and secure.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you know peace and live life with ease.
Now,
Let's repeat these phrases again,
Allowing them to sink in more deeply.
Of course,
You can also use your own words.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe and secure.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you know peace and live life with ease.
Finally,
We will practice offering kindness to someone with whom we experience some difficulties Not the most difficult person,
But someone who challenges us a little.
When I scale from 1 to 10,
Choose a 4 to 6,
As this is not the time or right setting for highly triggering relationships.
The point of this exercise is not what will happen to the person,
It's about how we can transform our hearts.
No need to force any feelings.
You can focus on the fact that people do what they can with the tools they have.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe and secure.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you know peace and live life with ease.
If your mind wanders,
It's totally normal.
Just begin again and return your attention to the energy of the heart.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe and secure.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you know peace and live life with ease.
Lastly,
META teaches us moving from the language of I,
Me,
To we,
Us.
So let's expand this energy as far as you can right now,
By visualizing your community,
City,
Country,
Continent,
The whole world,
And silently say.
May we all be well.
May we all be happy.
May we all be healthy.
May we all feel safe and secure.
May we all feel loved and supported.
May we all know peace and live life with ease.
Bring the attention back to the body,
Slowly moving your fingers and your toes.
Move your head from side to side.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Welcome back.
And remember,
You are training in kindness so it becomes your first response.
This practice is not just for the cushion,
It's for everyday life.
