Metta - 10 Minutes

In this metta, or loving-kindness meditation, I’ll guide you to bring people to mind and wish them well. For many, this practice can foster a sense of positivity and love, freely given without expectation. Though it may seem abstract, brain imaging studies suggest that it can be a powerful tool for cultivating compassion. Please note, however, that this meditation may stir strong emotions or bring up personal memories, and may not be suitable for those with past trauma; if you feel uncomfortable, please stop.

Transcript

Okay, Welcome Today we'll be doing a metta practice otherwise known as loving-kindness I'm going to invite you to bring various people to mind and Then encourage you to mentally wish them well So repeating the phrase which I'll guide you through may you be healthy May you be happy? May you be safe? Again no need to say the words out loud You'll just be thinking these words in the mind and really trying to generate These positive and warm feelings towards the people that you bring to mind Okay, So make sure that you're sat comfortably You can sit on a chair or on a cushion on the floor or on your bed even When you feel comfortable just gently closing your eyes Maybe just spend the next few moments listening out for any sounds that might be present in the room right now And then just dropping your focus on hearing So we begin I'll invite you now to Bring to mind or visualize in the mind's eye someone who you have an uncomplicated loving relationship towards Someone who you generally have really warm feelings towards Doesn't matter who the person is it could be a family member a friend a beloved pet Just imagine them in as much detail as you can And maybe just placing that visual image of this person where your heart is As you continue with the practice And then mentally repeating the phrase May you be healthy May you be happy May you be safe May you be healthy May you be happy May you be safe And really seeing how it feels to wish this person well with all your might Seeing how it feels in the heart area Where you wish this person well without really expecting anything in return And now I'm gonna invite you to bring a different person to mind Again someone who you have positive warm and loving feelings towards Visualize them in as much detail as you can And then almost placing this visual image where your heart is Really trying to feel it as you wish this person well You May you be healthy May you be happy May you be safe May you be healthy May you be happy May you feel safe I Mean you have really positive feelings towards this person if they were Healthy happy and safe. How would this make you feel? Okay, I'm gonna invite you now to bring someone else to mind And this time I'll invite you to think of someone who you don't know particularly well Maybe it's someone who lives locally that you see from time to time Someone who works in a shop or someone who you see on the commute without ever really talking to them Can you bring such a person to mind and place them at your heart And just as we did for the people that you really loved We're also going to wish this stranger. Well May you be healthy May you be happy May you be safe May you be healthy May you be happy May you be safe Even if you don't know this person you can be pretty confident that they have very similar hopes and dreams to you really health Happiness safety. It's what all human beings really want To see if you can wish this stranger well, Just like you did to your loved ones And now really trying to feel this sense of positivity and warmth Some people report they can even start to feel it kind of flowing out of the heart or out of the body And so with this sense I'll invite you now to expand the scope of your awareness to all of humanity to all beings That live on this planet You Imagining this in any way that feels right. You could even put the visual image of the earth where your heart is Repeating with me May all beings be healthy May all beings be happy May all beings be safe May all beings be healthy May all beings be happy May all beings be safe And then to conclude this session Turning this sense of outward love and positivity back in towards yourself Just as you wished your loved ones well a stranger well and All beings on this planet. Well with this same intensity Wishing yourself well Repeating with me May I be healthy? May I be happy? May I be safe May I be healthy may I be happy may I be safe Interesting thought that a lot of people who do this exercise Have no problem wishing strangers well wishing all beings well But do actually struggle to wish themselves well To the same degree This is an opportunity to right that wrong and To be kind and loving towards yourself Because you deserve happiness Just as much as the next person And then when you feel ready to just dropping any effort and doing absolutely nothing for a few moments Connecting with the room any sounds that might be present And then when you feel ready to Opening your eyes coming back to the room Congratulating yourself for practicing. I really hope you have a wonderful day

Reviews

Really good 🙏