The The T Hello,
This is Paige Alia with Karmic Roots Yoga.
Thank you for joining me.
For this meditation,
We'll be looking at loving kindness or the Metta meditation.
This is a variation on the traditional Metta meditation.
This guidance is intended to support well-being and to help reduce stress.
Know that through regular practice of loving kindness,
You are able to increase your connection to forgiveness,
To develop your empathy and your self-acceptance.
For this practice,
Find a comfortable seated or reclining position.
You might use a wall for support if you're seated or even a chair,
Letting both feet rest on the floor if you're in a chair.
If you're seated,
Maybe a cushion or a blanket underneath of your hips,
Letting your hips stack just a little bit over your knees.
Know that during this loving kindness meditation,
You have the opportunity to send loving kindness to someone that you find challenging or someone you've been agitated with or to work on an area of forgiveness in your life.
And as always,
This is optional for you as all parts within the meditation are.
So do what serves you and leave the rest for another day,
Another time.
Beginning by finding that comfortable position to sit and rest,
You can allow your gaze to soften or if you wish,
You could gently close your eyes and begin to notice your physical body and make any minor adjustments needed to bring even slightly more comfort while remaining alert,
Inviting the intention of ease and awareness.
Begin now to focus on your natural breath and see where you feel the breath in your body.
Do you notice the stomach,
The rising and falling as your body breathes?
What about the chest?
Do you notice the expansion and contraction with each inhale and each exhale?
Perhaps you notice the nostrils,
A slight tickle with air entering and a subtle warmth with each exhale.
Now choose one area that you feel the breath and focus as you feel your body breathing.
Stay with your breath all the way through from the beginning of the inhale to the end of the exhale.
All that area,
Feel the breath,
Stay with it from the beginning of the inhale all the way through to the end of the exhale.
Now see if you notice any thoughts or feelings that might be coming up,
The wandering mind.
And see this as an opportunity to cultivate mindfulness and concentration.
It is okay to be thinking.
It's a very human experience.
And so for this practice today,
Each time you notice your mind wander,
You begin developing your ability to recognize the experience.
And each time you bring your mind back to the breath,
You strengthen your ability to focus.
See this as an opportunity rather than as an issue and invite yourself back to your breath from the beginning of each inhale to the end of each exhale.
Now bring to mind an image of yourself as you are here now in this.
And try to connect to your own deepest intentions for happiness,
Ease and peace.
And just for now,
You don't need to consider the specifics of what will make you happy.
Instead,
Connect with that natural desire that you have.
And know also that while it may not be easy to offer loving kindness to yourself,
You are so worthy.
Perhaps cultivate this intention by opening your heart to your own well-being and silently offer to yourself affirmations of loving kindness.
So in your mind,
Repeat slowly enough for you to connect with the meaning and the intention behind the words.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be peaceful.
May I be safe.
Now bring to mind someone you love,
Perhaps a good friend,
A teacher,
A mentor or perhaps even a pet.
And connect with your natural desire to see this being happy and at ease.
And know that just like you,
This being wants to be happy,
To feel safe and to be healthy.
In your mind now,
Cultivate this intention by offering this being affirmations of loving kindness.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be peaceful.
May you be safe.
Now release this being from your mind and bring to mind this time a neutral person.
This is someone you see but you don't know very well.
It may be someone who works somewhere you go a lot or a coworker or even a neighbor.
And although you don't know this person well,
You can recognize that this person wants to be happy too.
And you don't need to know what their happiness looks like for them.
It is enough to connect.
And now offer this being phrases of loving kindness as you connect with the intention to care about their well-being.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be peaceful.
May you be safe.
Now allow this neutral person to go from your mind and bring to mind someone who you find challenging.
And you might not want to pick the most challenging person in your life.
Perhaps choose someone who is somewhat challenging or someone you have recently found yourself agitated with or annoyed by.
Now offer the phrases and recognize that this is connecting with the intention to care for this person.
Even if offering the phrases wholeheartedly feels challenging,
Realize that by offering loving kindness you are making an effort to share kindness and compassion.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be peaceful.
May you be safe.
Return now to yourself,
Resting here now in this.
And again connect to the intention for happiness,
Ease,
And security.
Open your heart to your own well-being and offer to yourself affirmations of loving kindness.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be peaceful.
May I be safe.
From my heart to yours,
Thank you for joining me today for loving kindness.
As you return to this space,
Perhaps contemplate how this felt for you today and know that there's always an opportunity to return here again.
May we all be happy.
May we all be healthy.
May we all be at peace.
And may we all be safe.
