Welcome to a loving kindness meditation.
When we practice loving kindness,
Also known as metta or maitri in Buddhist traditions,
We are cultivating a warmth within our hearts,
A true feeling of deep love for ourselves.
We then emanate that feeling to all of those around us,
Those closest to us,
Those that we are indifferent to,
Those that we may have had difficulty with,
And then we culminate the practice by extending these feelings to the entire universe and all sentient beings contained within.
This method of meditation is a long-standing practice within many Buddhist traditions and lineages.
However,
As if ancient wisdom and knowledge is not enough to motivate you to cultivate your own practice,
There has also been recent Western scientific evidence on the amazing effects that this specific form of meditation can have on you on a sociological and psychological level.
Most important during this meditation practice is the focus on projecting the feelings generated.
Rather than just the repetition of the words,
Put your truest and wisest intention behind the practice to produce the most benefit for yourself and others.
Let's begin by sitting in a comfortable position,
Either seated in a chair or cross-legged on a traditional cushion with an upright spine.
Let your arms rest naturally down by your sides and rest them gently together in the center of your lap or on your knees.
Take this time for you.
Begin to already feel love for yourself for making the time to meditate today and work towards improving your inner peace and contentment.
Gently close your eyes and prepare to take a couple of deep cleansing breaths.
These breaths will help to allow to release and send out any stress or tension you may feel on your exhalation.
Begin now through your nose.
Inhale,
One,
Two,
Three.
Hold for a moment and then exhale long and slow also through your nose.
Repeat that again.
Inhale,
One,
Two,
Three.
Hold for a moment and then exhale,
Release,
Release and relax.
Feel a wave of calmness,
Peace and serenity wash over your body from head to toe as we begin our metta meditation.
First,
Simply notice yourself sitting as you return your breath to a normal pace.
Become a brief scan of your body looking for any tense or rigid muscle tone that you may not be aware of.
If you come across it,
Just melt it away with the breath beginning from the top of your head and moving down through the center of your body,
Outward through each arm,
All the way to the tips of your fingers.
Back through the center of your body and down through each leg and into your feet and toes.
Feel each area soften and melt as you pass your attention through.
Note all of the sensations as you encounter them and keep focused on your intention to fully relax and ground the body.
End your scan on the area of your chest and begin watching your breath.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
Try to keep a stable concentration on your breath for a few minutes.
Pay close attention to all of the sensations of your breath as you watch yourself breathing in and breathing out again.
Any thoughts that arise,
Practice acknowledging their presence,
Letting them be and then letting them pass.
Now,
Let's move your attention to the middle of your chest in the area around your heart.
Feel your heart beating,
The constant reminder of the life within you.
Feel a strength and warmth in your heart like no other.
It is filled and overflowing with an endless amount of love,
Compassion and kindness that you can share with yourself and all of those around you.
Feel this warmth and boundless healing love.
Feel it spread throughout your whole body from head to toe as if you are glowing and tingling from the warmth and light of this never-ending love.
Feel it with all of your being as you repeat these words silently to yourself,
Gently and softly feeling this light and love moving through you.
May I be happy.
May I be safe.
May I be well and in good health.
May I be free from suffering and have an awareness of all of those around me who may be in need.
Feel the warmth and glow of these positive loving emotions and healing energy radiating from your body and mind.
As you experience this,
Bring to mind someone close to you whom you may love and respect deeply.
It should not be difficult to extend these loving feelings to this person.
Now send these feelings of warmth,
Caring love and kindness to this person.
Say to them silently,
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be well and in good health.
May you be free from suffering and possess an awareness to recognize and help all others in need.
Rest in the loving feelings you have for this person.
And now bring into your mind someone that you feel neutral about.
This may be someone you have seen in the street,
At the grocery store or maybe pass in the hallway at work or school.
Send them these same feelings of love and warmth and caring that you have cultivated as you wish them well.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be well and in good health.
May you be free from suffering and possess an awareness to recognize and help all others in need.
At this time,
I want you to bring into your mind's eye someone that you may have some difficulties with or ill feelings toward or that you may have been irritated or upset with recently.
Keep in mind you are not condoning or approving of what they may or may not have done.
You are simply allowing yourself to let any pain,
Anger or feelings of resentment you carry towards them to go.
Because that pain and anger that you carry hurts you more than anyone else.
Send them those same feelings of warmth and caring as you wish them well.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be well and in good health.
May you be free from suffering and possess an awareness to recognize and help all others in need.
Now continue with some additional statements to help cultivate transformative healing within yourself.
May I be able to let go of any feelings of ill will.
May I turn my anger or hatred into love.
May I forgive myself for any actions or unkind speech that may have hurt others.
May I let go of any feelings of guilt or regret that I may be holding and transform those emotions into positive,
Boundless,
Loving energy for myself and all of those around me.
Finally we are going to radiate and spread these same feelings of loving kindness to all of those around us.
Visualize in your mind's eye all of the people and beings in your suburb,
City,
Your nation and in the whole world.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be well and in good health.
May all beings be free from suffering and possess an awareness to recognize and help all others in need.
Now bring your attention back to yourself.
Visualize the feeling of loving kindness to form a warm,
Pure,
Golden light to emanate from your heart and allow it to fill your whole being.
Breathe in that light peacefully.
Breathe out that light peacefully.
Allow yourself to be at peace with yourself and the entire world.
Slowly return once again to focusing on just.
Adjust your breathing.
Then return to once again noticing yourself just sitting.
Breathe in.
Then slowly open your eyes at the sound of the bell.
