So for this meditation we're going to investigate a couple different ways to practice Metta or loving kindness.
If you haven't already done so,
You can find a comfortable meditation posture that's sustainable.
Keeping the spine upright and energized,
But allowing the muscles to fall freely,
Relaxed.
And allowing the eyes to close,
We can take a couple deep breaths.
You can ask yourself,
What kind of breath does my body need right now?
Breathing with the intention of kindness to ourselves,
To our minds,
To our bodies.
And we're going to practice with three different ways to do Metta other than the traditional phrases.
We can begin with a practice known as reflecting on our good qualities.
So bring to mind something you did that was kind recently.
It doesn't need to be a grand gesture.
But even something simple like holding the door open for someone,
Smiling at someone.
Maybe you stopped and chatted with someone.
Bringing this to mind and reflecting on the kindness within you.
This doesn't need to be done in a way that feeds the ego,
But in a way that feeds the heart.
Recognizing our own good qualities,
In this case kindness.
And as you sit here reflecting,
You can reflect on how it felt to do that and how it feels to be right here thinking about it.
Even in a small way,
How it feels to have the heart open.
As you reflect you can remember that all the love you've ever felt,
All the kind acts you've ever done,
They come from you.
They come from your heart.
That your potential to love and be kind is there.
That your potential to love and be kind is there.
Letting go of this practice,
We're going to move on and try something different.
Bring to mind a benefactor,
A good friend,
Somebody toward whom you have mostly pleasant feelings.
Somebody who's cared about you,
Been there for you,
Loved you.
And we're going to offer them the traditional phrases.
Just repeating the phrases with the rhythm that works for us.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you be at ease.
Just wishing well for this person,
For this person's happiness,
Health,
Safety and ease.
Thank you.
We can picture our benefactor or good friend right in front of us.
And switching gears a little bit.
We can visualize them offering us phrases of metta.
Sometimes it's hard for us to practice loving kindness towards ourselves.
But when we use someone else and try to see ourselves through their eyes,
It can change our perspective.
So we can picture them sitting across from us or standing across from us.
And as we say the phrases,
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
And may I be at ease.
We can picture them sitting right across from us,
Also saying these phrases towards us.
So you're saying it almost in agreement with this person.
Seeing yourself through their eyes.
Your kindness and warmth.
Offering yourself the phrases along with the other person.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And letting go of this practice.
We're going to turn to our final practice,
Which is a bit of a visualization practice.
You can picture yourself in a garden,
Maybe a meadow,
With a flower you enjoy,
A rose,
Dandelions,
Whatever it is.
And imagining that you have an abundance of flowers sitting there.
You can picture your benefactor coming into the garden.
And as they come up to you,
You simply offer them a flower and they take it.
And as we do so,
We can connect with the intention of giving and bringing happiness to someone,
Of wishing for this person to experience joy.
Maybe we can bring to mind another benefactor.
And again,
As they walk up,
Just offering them one flower.
And again,
Connecting with how it feels to give,
The intention of wanting this person to be happy,
To enjoy the flower.
You can do so with a couple more benefactors,
Or maybe some good friends or family.
Maybe a slow,
Continuous line of people coming to receive a flower from you.
And now letting some neutral people into the line.
Maybe a neighbor,
A co-worker,
People that you see regularly but have no intimate relationship with.
And as you hand them a flower,
Just connecting with the intention there of wanting that person to enjoy the flower and be happy.
Although you may not know these people well.
Just wanting them to be happy,
Allowing whoever comes to mind to come.
Maybe people are coming back through the line and receiving a second flower,
That's okay.
Just really focusing on the act of giving,
Of opening our hearts.
Okay.
And finally,
Allowing the difficult people into the line.
We don't have to go with the most difficult person in our life to start with.
But allowing those who irritate us or may have harmed us or someone we care about in some way.
Just offering them a flower,
Not as a peace offering,
Not as a sign of your forgiveness.
Just as an act of wanting this person to experience joy.
Okay.
Okay.
And as we wrap this meditation up,
Taking a moment to reflect on a specific good quality we have,
Which is sitting down to do this meditation.
Of setting the intention and following through to practice opening our hearts.
This is something very wholesome and skillful that we often don't give ourselves credit for.
So just taking a moment to recognize the good that's within us.
The good that helps us meditate,
Helps us practice opening our hearts.
Okay.
Okay.
