Day 21: Metta Meditation

 


“With mindfulness, loving kindness, and self-compassion, we can begin to let go of our expectations about how life and those we love should be.” ― Sharon Salzberg

"Love is not just the intention to love, but the capacity to reduce suffering, and offer peace and happiness. The practice of love increases our forebearance, our capacity to be patient and embrace difficulties and pain."

- Thích Nhất Hạnh


Metta meditation, directs loving kindness toward ourselves and then, in a sequence of expansions toward those we love already, those we feel neutral about, someone we have difficulty with and ultimately toward all beings everywhere without distinction. Never before in my memory have I faced something so global, so isolating, as Covid-19. Yet, there is something about our isolation that has made us realize how important connections are to us.

We start Metta by sitting quietly, following the breath and settling into a meditative space.

Then, mentally repeat, the following phrases:

May I be happy. May I be well. May I be safe. May I be peaceful and at ease.

When we are scared or in crisis, it can be difficult to find our loving hearts. That is why it is so important to start here. Feel into the intentions the words express, what it means to be safe, healthy and happy. Let the words express what we genuinely feel in our hearts. If these words don't work for you, find the phrases that you can connect with. May I have food to eat. May I be healthy. May I be warm in the cold. You get the idea. Allow warm feelings to grow as you repeat the phrases. If your attention drifts, gently redirect it back to these feelings of loving kindness.

After a few minutes, bring to mind a friend or someone in your life who has deeply cared for you. Then slowly repeat phrases of loving-kindness toward them:

May you be happy. May you be well. May you be safe. May you be peaceful and at ease.

Now bring to mind someone you feel neutral about. Finding that person can be a challenge, because it seems we make judgements about people all the time. If you can find a neutral person, maybe someone who delivered groceries yesterday or the person walking their dog down the street, send them loving kindness.

May you be happy. May you be well. May you be safe. May you be peaceful and at ease.

You can also bring to mind other friends, neighbors, strangers or animals. We have set aside 20 minutes, but take longer if you like.

Now that we are all juiced up and full of loving kindness we move on to someone we have difficulty with. This is harder, which makes it more powerful. It will challenge us to look closely at love that is conditional and that which is unconditional; people who are worthy of our love and those that just don't cut it. You might want to start with someone who is mildly irritating rather than your nemesis. Repeat the phrases:

May you be happy. May you be well. May you be safe. May you be peaceful and at ease.

If you just can't go there, consider what you could authentically and kindly wish for them. Maybe that they stay dry in the rain or that they are warm on a cold day. Do what you can, from your kind heart.

Finally, send loving kindness outward to all beings in your neighborhood, county, state, country and finally the world. Let it radiate outward, everywhere. Jack Kornfield suggests repeating “May all beings far and near, all beings young and old, beings in every direction, be held in great loving-kindness. May they be safe and protected. May they be healthy and strong. May they be truly happy.” Amen to that!

"Love creates a communion with life. Love expands us, connects us, sweetens us, ennobles us. Love springs up in tender concern, it blossoms into caring action. It makes beauty out of all we touch. In any moment we can step beyond our small self and embrace each other as beloved parts of a whole.”

―Jack Kornfield

Keep going! ❤️

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