And let your breath settle into your body.
You can move around a little bit until you find your place of rest.
The seat that feels both comfortable and also alert.
As the eyes relax into the head,
You can allow the attention to flow throughout the body.
Just as you scan,
Either from the top down or from the floor upward.
Releasing any areas of obvious tension,
Maybe perhaps with the exhalation,
Just letting that settle.
Just allowing the physical body to reconnect to itself within the waves of the breath,
Within this moment.
If and when the attention begins to wander,
You can gently guide it back to the breath or the body,
To the space of loving awareness.
And if at any time you feel awkward or unnatural in this meditation,
Just be patient and kind towards yourself.
Allowing whatever arises for you to be held in this spirit of friendliness,
Kindness,
Loving awareness.
Whatever that means to you today.
It might be like a gentle figure sitting with you that helps you to feel calm and loved.
It might be just a gentle light around you.
Just allowing you to be here in this experience exactly as you are,
Breathing in and out.
With the eyes closed,
You might begin to envision the space around you that you're currently in or in a place that makes you feel calm,
Comfortable at home and at ease.
Begin to picture,
Imagine or think of someone that you love,
Where the relationship is uncomplicated.
If it's a group of people,
You can perhaps choose one person as the symbol of that group.
Whether it's a family member,
Teacher,
Spiritual leader,
Whether they're still with us or have passed.
Just start where it's easy to open your heart.
It could even be a pet.
You could picture what they're wearing,
Where they're sitting,
How it feels to be seated across from them.
Let yourself be in this moment with this person who you love.
Breathe gently and recite inwardly the following traditional phrases of metta directed toward this person's well-being.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe from inner and outer dangers.
May you be well in body and mind.
May you be at ease and happy.
In repeating these phrases,
Hold this loved one in loving kindness,
Loving awareness.
You can always adjust the words and images in a way that opens your heart.
After you've repeated these phrases and kind intentions,
You can let the feelings permeate through your body and mind.
Allowing the sensations,
The reverberations to flow just like the waves of the breath.
Imagining how it might be for this loved one to experience your blessing,
To receive love,
Acceptance,
Peace,
Joy,
And freedom.
And guide the attention to the breath.
Coming back to yourself in this space that you're in or the space that you're imagining that makes you feel at home.
You might now begin to picture someone or a group.
If it is a group,
It might be distilled into one person.
Someone who is having a difficult time right now,
Who is in need,
Whether you know them or not.
If you know how they look,
You might recall that,
How they move and speak.
See if you can imagine this person or this group that is suffering seated with you,
In front of you,
Relaxed and at ease for a moment,
Free from this suffering.
And whether the image or feelings are clear or not,
It doesn't matter.
Just remind yourself that this person,
This group also wants to be happy and does not want to suffer.
And in this simple but powerful way,
We continue to plant the seeds of loving wishes by repeating these phrases gently,
No matter what arises in our hearts.
Just with the intention of allowing them to be held here in loving kindness,
Repeating these phrases or adjusting them if you need to.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe from inner and outer dangers.
May you be well in body and mind.
May you be happy and at ease.
Allow yourself to feel what it feels like,
Both to offer these well wishes and for this person or group to receive it.
Both of you seated in this space of loving awareness,
Loving kindness.
Let your attention settle into your breath,
Your body,
This moment.
Beginning to imagine that you're bringing together these people,
Your loved one or loved ones,
Those who suffer or having a difficult time,
Anyone that you've just prayed for.
Take a moment to include yourself here,
Just honoring your own goodness and the sincerity that you've brought to this meditation today.
Not holding yourself and the others in your heart,
You might put a hand on your heart if that's helpful for you to sense your shared humanity,
Your shared vulnerability,
Hardships,
And also your shared basic goodness.
You might send these prayers of loving kindness to these people all at once,
Expanding as far as you'd like to go today.
Your immediate family,
Friends,
Your community,
Your city,
Your country,
The world,
Whatever feels accessible for you here.
Recognizing that you,
That we are all in this together,
Yourself here included,
Held in loving kindness.
Recognizing that no one wants to suffer.
That we all want to receive love.
That it can be simple to offer love in this way and see how it translates into the life beyond meditation.
You might picture this group of people that you've prayed for today,
Including yourself,
Praying for one another,
Saying to each other,
May we all be filled with loving kindness.
May we all be safe from inner and outer dangers.
May we all be well in body and mind.
May we all be at ease and happy.
Let the words adjust themselves as needed and feel what it feels like both to offer these well wishes and both to receive it on your end.
Or how it feels for the others to receive your blessings.
To receive this sense of shared humanity.
The sense of we are all in this together.
The sense of being held in loving kindness together.
Just as we receive the inhale without restraint so naturally,
So too can we receive this loving kindness with an open and spacious heart.
And just as we so naturally allow the exhale to freely release,
So too can we offer well-being to others without expecting them to return the same sentiment,
But simply because we genuinely wish others well.
That others be free from suffering.
That we all be held in loving kindness.
This is a blessing from the Native American Apache tribe.
It says,
May the sun bring you new energy by day.
May the moon softly restore you by night.
May the rain wash away your worries.
May the breeze blow new strength into your being.
May you walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life.
Let your exhalation settle into this moment,
This body,
This breath.
If it feels comfortable for you to do so,
You can take the hands together at the center of the chest as a symbol of gratitude for your sincerity,
For your efforts today.
And gratitude for one another for being here,
For showing up,
For creating this safe container,
For suffering to exist,
And also to wish each other loving kindness and safety,
Health,
Well-being in body and mind.
Namaste.
