Today we're going to do a loving kindness meditation.
Loving kindness meditations or META as they're called,
I like to think of them as the espresso shot of meditation.
And what I mean by this is that researchers found with different types of meditation,
Over the course of hours of practice,
You can change the density of the gray matter in your brain.
You can affect your neurological makeup and it's through the study of epigenetics they discovered this.
More on this later,
You can read the book Altered Traits to learn more.
But loving kindness meditation,
They found that within seven minutes,
Seven minutes,
The circuitry in your brain that is,
You know,
For social connection and for joy was activated after just seven minutes.
And so that's where we're going to practice today.
So find a comfortable position.
If you're on the subway,
Maybe anchor your feet into the ground.
If you're sitting cross-legged,
Feel your sit bones beneath you.
And once you've settled,
Inhale and exhale,
Pushing your breath out of your lungs from the top of your chest to the bottom of your belly as though it were a push-pop.
And we're going to begin.
So close your eyes and bring them to a comfortable lowered gaze and let your eyelids soften.
And inhale.
Exhale.
Call into your mind the image of someone that you absolutely adore.
Maybe it's a family member or a significant other.
And notice how your heart space expands with this warm light of love.
And to that image of that person in your mind,
Say to them,
May you be happy.
Inhale.
Exhale.
May you be healthy.
Inhale.
Exhale.
May you be whole.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Exhale.
Now call into your mind's eye the image of someone you don't know very well.
It could be someone you pass by on the street today or the person who checks you into your fitness class or the person across from you on the subway.
And when you have that image of that person before you,
Say to them,
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you be healthy,
May you be whole.
Someone who challenges you,
Someone who causes suffering for you.
It could be a mean person at work or someone from your past or a former significant other,
Someone that causes you pain.
And when you have that image of that person before you,
Taking that warm light you've cultivated for those that you love,
Can you say to them,
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you be healthy,
May you be whole.
Noticing the expansion in your chest and in your heart space,
Continue to breathe.
Now,
Think about all of the beings on this earth,
Beginning with the people immediately surrounding you,
Maybe in the floors below you in your apartment or on the subway car with you or in your office.
And let that light,
That attention,
Extend out to the people around you.
And let that light,
That attention expand to the people in this state,
In this country,
All around the world.
For all beings on this earth,
Can you say,
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you be healthy,
May you be whole.
And this warm metta,
Loving kindness that you have cultivated,
This compassion for others,
Call your attention to your chest and bring that light to yourself and say,
May I be happy,
May I be healthy,
May I be whole.
Inhale,
Exhale.
Bring your attention back.
Start to wiggle your toes and your fingers.
And lift up your eyes and bring that light out into the world.
