Hello,
My name is Sam and welcome to this Metta meditation.
Metta,
Which is also known as loving kindness,
Is the practice of cultivating feelings of love,
Compassion and kindness towards oneself and others.
This meditation will guide you through a series of steps to help you connect with these feelings and cultivate them within yourself.
Find a comfortable position to begin with.
You might like to take a seated position with your back straight and feet planted firmly on the ground,
Or you might choose to lie down with a little pillow under your head.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through the nose,
Filling your lungs with air.
Hold for just a moment and then slowly exhale through your mouth,
Releasing any tension or stress in your body.
You might like to do that one more time,
Just to help you settle down.
So filling your body with breath,
Pausing for a moment at the top and then slowly exhaling through your mouth,
Relaxing the jaw and softening around your temples.
As we continue to relax here,
Focus the attention on the breath.
Notice the sensation of breath moving in and out of your body,
Observing how the chest and abdomen rise and fall with each breath.
And as you focus on the breath,
Allow yourself to let go of any thoughts or worries that may be on the mind.
Simply allow yourself to be present in the moment with your breath as your anchor.
Now bring your attention to your heart center.
Imagine a warm radiant light shining from within your heart.
This light represents the love,
Compassion and kindness that reside within you.
As you focus on this light,
Allow yourself to feel a sense of warmth and tenderness in your heart.
I'm going to say some affirmations which you can repeat to yourself,
Silently or otherwise.
Now these phrases focus on the feelings of love,
Compassion and kindness.
So try to feel those emotions within you as you say each one.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I live with ease.
And as you think about these phrases,
Allow yourself to fully experience the feelings of love and compassion that arise within you.
And imagine yourself surrounded by the warm radiant light,
Filling your entire being with a sense of peace and contentment.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I live with ease.
Now bring to mind someone who is dear to you.
It can be a family member,
A friend,
A loved one or anyone else who brings you joy and happiness.
As you think of this person,
Silently repeat the following phrases to them,
Focusing on the feelings of love,
Compassion and kindness that arise within you.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live with ease.
And as we repeat these phrases,
Imagine this person surrounded by the warm radiant light from your heart,
Filling them with a sense of peace and contentment.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live with ease.
Now bring to mind someone who may be struggling or in need of support.
It could be someone you know personally or someone you've only heard about.
Hold this person in your heart and send them the same affirmations.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be at peace.
May you live with ease.
And as you repeat these affirmations,
Visualize a warm soothing light enveloping this person,
Easing their pain and suffering.
Remember we are all connected and our love and compassion has the power to heal others in distress.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be at peace.
May you live with ease.
Next,
Bring to mind someone you may have had difficulty with or feel resentment towards.
It could be an old acquaintance,
A co-worker or even a stranger.
And as hard as it may be,
Send them the same affirmations with the intention of releasing any negativity or animosity towards them.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live with ease.
And as we repeat these phrases,
Allow yourself to fully experience the feelings of love and compassion that arise within you.
Imagine this person surrounded by the warm radiant light from your heart,
Filling them with a sense of peace and contentment.
And allow yourself to let go of any judgments or preconceptions you may have about them.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live with ease.
Remember that sending loving kindness does not mean condoning any harm done,
But rather it's a way to cultivate compassion and understanding towards all beings,
Even those we may not get along with.
And by sending them love and compassion,
We not only improve our own mental and emotional well-being,
But we also create a ripple effect of positivity in the world.
And finally,
Bring to mind all beings everywhere.
The animals,
The plants,
The earth itself.
And repeat these affirmations with a sense of inclusion and interconnectedness.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be at peace.
And as we repeat these affirmations,
Visualize a warm soothing light enveloping the entire planet,
Sending love to all beings,
Easing their pain and suffering.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be at peace.
As we conclude this meditation,
Take a moment to soak in the feeling of love and compassion that surrounds you.
And remember,
You can carry this feeling with you throughout your day,
Spreading love and kindness wherever you go.
When you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes,
Taking a deep breath in and slowly exhaling.
Thank yourself for taking the time to practice loving kindness and bring a sense of peace and calm back into your day.
I wish you all the best.
