So this is a metapractice.
This is the extended metapractice.
But in all metapractices we always begin with ourselves.
Because we can't share what we haven't experienced,
What we haven't opened to,
What we haven't received.
May I be well.
This is not some wish for some future condition.
It's opening to the possibility of wellness in this moment.
The body-mind functioning smoothly,
Optimally.
May I be well.
May I be at ease,
Feeling that infinite quality of ease pouring through us,
The whole body.
May I be at ease.
May I be at peace.
May I be at peace.
Acknowledging all the inner disagreements that might be going on within us.
Little voices that get into arguments.
Creating enough spaciousness so that they can be conversations,
Respectful conversations.
May I be at peace.
May I be happy.
This is not the happiness that comes from getting our way,
From everything being exactly the way we want it to be.
It's a happiness that comes from being fully present in this moment,
Compassionate with ourselves and others.
May I be happy.
We sit with this feeling of metta,
Infinite loving-kindness.
Opening to it,
Receiving it,
Allowing it to grow within us.
Because it is infinite in quality.
We can't contain it,
And we wouldn't want to.
So we bring to mind someone for whom we have unqualified love.
This might be a small child or an elder.
Someone for whom we have no misgivings,
No argument,
No qualifications.
Just,
Oh,
We'd just do anything for them.
To bring that person to mind.
And we say,
May you be well.
May you be at ease.
May you be at peace.
May you be happy.
Now really notice how it feels in your body and your mind to give metta,
Infinite loving-kindness,
To someone.
For you it is so easy to do.
So easy.
And see really how it feels.
This is to learn how it feels to give metta to yourself.
Or maybe metta to someone who's not so easy to give metta to.
We're imprinting that physical sensation of unqualified,
Infinite loving-kindness.
Just bring that person to mind again.
Feel that love radiating forth.
And notice how it feels in the body.
Where you feel it.
See if your body softens or wells up with tenderness.
Notice that feeling.
Next we bring to mind what is in this tradition called a neutral person.
A neutral person is someone who you may have regular conversations with or transactions with.
Perhaps a mail deliverer or a person at the grocery store or the bank.
Someone you do not know.
You don't know where they live.
You don't know that much about them.
But you have pleasant relationship with them on a fairly regular basis.
And now bringing that neutral person to mind we say,
May you be well.
May you be at ease.
May you be at peace.
May you be happy.
May you be at peace.
May you be happy.
And next,
Now that we've trained ourselves a little bit in the art of sending Metta,
We bring up a challenging person.
Who is personally known to you.
Someone in your life who causes you to struggle.
Or it might be a public figure who draws your ire.
And brings up a lot of anger or upset in some way.
Whatever comes up for you,
It's still the same process.
It's a difficult person who activates all kinds of emotional negative energy.
Bring that person to mind.
And we say,
May you be well.
May you be at ease.
May you be at peace.
May you be at peace.
May you be happy.
Remembering that this is not a happiness that gives this person everything they want.
It's a happiness that arises out of the person's mind.
It's a happiness that arises out of being present.
Out of being compassionate.
Out of gratitude for being alive.
And because the nature of this infinite loving kindness is to grow and glow,
We see it rising and expanding out into the world.
Radiating like the sun.
But able to shine in even the darkest corners.
We see it encircling the globe,
Expanding beyond out into the universe.
And we say,
May all beings be well.
May all beings be at ease.
May all beings be at peace.
May all beings be happy.
And finally,
If you struggle with sending metta to yourself,
Being kind to yourself,
Then remember that when we send metta to all beings,
We too are part of that.
We are a being.
Each of us is deserving of loving kindness.
