So the practice of metta,
Or loving-kindness,
Or compassion,
It can help you to respond to your own mind with friendliness,
As well as that to others too.
Unfortunately,
Our thoughts,
They don't always do what we want them to do.
And the body as a result of this may have discomfort.
And this meditation,
It encourages us to meet those experiences with a caring and gentle heart.
This helps us to see more clearly in our practice and also daily life.
So loving-kindness,
Metta,
It's a practice where you are not inviting in something from outside yourself.
What you are doing is tuning in to the capacity for care and love that is already present in your heart.
So what we can also do with this practice is extend it out to other people and other beings,
Which we'll be doing throughout this practice.
So let's first sit in a comfortable posture and gently allow your eyes to close or just slightly lower your gaze.
And let's start by taking a deep breath,
Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth.
As we return our breath to the normal practice,
Just try to bring kindness into your present environment.
Just think of the body with friendliness.
Just listen to it and see if you can move if you need to,
To get any more comfortable.
Now within this practice,
You don't want to fall asleep.
But you can allow yourself to be more at ease during this exercise by just playing around with your posture.
Just begin by recognizing your own desire to be happy.
Try not to dig into stories about what might make you happy.
Just find this natural wish for ease and comfort for yourself.
Try saying to yourself,
Yes,
I want to be happy.
And with this intention in mind,
Begin offering yourself phrases of kindness.
As you offer the phrases in your head,
Just say them slowly.
Connecting with the intention behind the words,
Even if you don't feel them entirely at this moment in time.
Say yes,
I want to be happy.
So now let's use some specific phrasing.
Just repeat these words to yourself.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I be at ease.
Just finding a rhythm with the phrases.
You may try offering one phrase with each exhale,
Or with every other exhale.
As you offer the phrases,
Use them as the object of your concentration.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I be at ease.
Just resting your awareness fully on the phrases and the deeper intention behind them.
If the mind wanders,
Just come back to the phrases in your head.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I be at ease.
Just noticing any feelings or thoughts of self-judgement or resistance to self-care.
Just stay with the phrases for as long as you feel comfortable.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I be at ease.
So we're just going to pause on this for 30 seconds or so.
So just reflect on those phrases.
So just to finish this practice,
We just begin by taking a deep breath in through the nose.
And out through the mouth.
As you just begin to bring your attention back into the room.
And open your eyes.
