Hello and a warm welcome to your loving kindness or metta meditation.
Let's begin our meditation practice by finding a comfortable seated position.
You can gently close down your eyes or just keep them softly focused.
Take a few deep breaths,
Allowing your body and mind to settle into this present moment.
We are embarking on a journey of loving kindness.
This practice dates back over two and a half thousand years to the teachings of the Buddha.
The word metta means loving kindness or benevolence.
And this practice is all about cultivating unconditional love,
Compassion and goodwill towards ourselves and others.
As you breathe,
Just let the ideas sit with you for a moment.
Take your next deep breath in and exhale slowly.
As you do,
Scan your body from head to toe,
Releasing any areas of tension or tightness.
Take as many breaths,
As many exhales as you need to release.
Now bring to mind a vision,
An image of yourself.
It could be yourself as you are right now,
Today,
Or yourself in the past or as a child or baby.
Repeat in your mind or out loud.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I live with ease.
Continue to visualize yourself and genuinely wish yourself well-being and peace.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I live with ease.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I live with ease.
Now think about someone you care deeply about.
It could be a family member,
A parent,
A child,
A spouse,
A friend.
Maybe it's your pet.
Visualize them.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they be safe.
May they live with ease.
Send warm wishes,
Love and happiness to this person as you continue to breathe mindfully.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they be safe.
May they live with ease.
Continue to visualize them and send them all your love.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they be safe.
May they live with ease.
And now bring to mind someone you feel neutral about.
Someone you maybe encounter casually but don't know that well.
So it could be a co-worker,
A neighbour or a stranger that you always see on the streets.
Repeat.
May this person be happy.
May this person be healthy.
May this person be safe.
May this person live with ease.
Send your compassion to this individual,
Imagining them surrounded by happiness and well-being.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they be safe.
May they live with ease.
Continuing to visualize this person and sending them your compassion and your well-wishes.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they be safe.
May they live with ease.
Now bring to your mind's eye someone you've had challenges or conflict with.
Someone you've had difficulties with or are having difficulties with.
Visualize them.
See them in your mind's eye.
And repeat.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they be safe.
May they live with ease.
It might be difficult or challenging but try to cultivate a sense of understanding,
Compassion and forgiveness towards this person.
Acknowledging their humanity and their inherent goodness.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they be safe.
May they live with ease.
Continuing to breathe mindfully,
Slowing down the breath.
This is maybe the most difficult moment of the meditation for you.
Send that person compassion and forgiveness.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they be safe.
May they live with ease.
Expand your loving kindness to all people and all beings everywhere.
Repeat.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings live with ease.
Expand your loving kindness,
Your compassion.
Outwards but don't forget yourself here too.
Let it radiate from your heart space.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings live with ease.
Feel a deep sense of connection and compassion for all living beings.
Acknowledging and embracing the interconnectedness of life,
Of this human experience that we're in.
One more time bringing the awareness to yourself,
Visualizing yourself as you are,
As you were,
Or as you will be.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I live with ease.
Sending your love now to a special person.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they be safe.
May they live with ease.
Expanding that to include people or person that you feel neutral towards.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they be safe.
May they live with ease.
Keep that momentum going,
Sending your love and compassion out to a difficult person,
Difficult relationship,
Challenge or conflict.
May this person be happy.
May this person be healthy.
May this person be safe.
May they live with ease.
As you extend your loving kindness out to the whole universe.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings live with ease.
As we move gently towards the conclusion of our meditation.
Gently bring your awareness back to your breath and to the present moment that you are in.
Notice any feelings or sensations that arose throughout the practice or that are arising now.
Notice if you can tune into any positive feelings of love,
Kindness,
Warmth or openness that you have cultivated throughout this practice.
Compassion towards ourselves and others is a gift we can offer every moment.
Carry this with you into the rest of your day.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live with ease.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
