Most of you have heard me talk about the metta practice many times,
But just to kind of,
As it's the beginning of the year,
Just to kind of revisit that it's a very simple practice.
We don't want to create too much thinking about it,
Too much intellect.
It's really a practice of loving kindness,
Of generating loving kindness for ourselves and others.
The practice can be used for working with fear or challenging internal situations,
Challenges,
Physical,
Emotional.
So it has many benefits or many different ways we can use the practice.
And for me,
I really like to keep it super simple.
Sometimes I like to create an intention around any meditation that I'm doing.
Intention for me is a very powerful tool,
And it really is,
Why am I doing what I'm doing?
Like,
What's the intention behind what I'm doing?
What do I want for myself out of this practice?
So I think that's always worth pausing and thinking about that.
And then for me,
Intention is something that I create.
It's generally a simple intention,
Something quite simple.
And then I let it go and trust that it will manifest in the way that it needs to.
Because there's a big difference between an intention and an expectation.
Expectation is like a holding on to and expecting it to turn out exactly the way we want it to,
Which of course it usually won't.
So an intention is more like this thing that we create,
An aiming at something,
But then letting it go and trusting that it will manifest in its own way.
For me,
It always,
I'm a very visual person,
So it always feels like I'm whispering to a butterfly and then I just kind of let it go and trust that it,
Maybe I should do this the other way around.
Now that I just thought about this,
Maybe I should be whispering to the caterpillar as it goes into the chrysalis,
Right?
Becomes mush and becomes a butterfly and comes out and manifests in whatever way it does.
I like this better now.
Thanks.
So I think intention is really important around any practice.
I mean,
Any moment in our day when we're going to do something,
We're late to work,
Create intention.
When we're going to be with our children,
Create intention.
When we're in a difficult situation,
Create intention.
So it's a very powerful thing.
In the metta practice,
For me,
The two things that always stand out to me is one,
Letting the practice be as natural as possible,
Right?
Not creating too much intellect,
Really embodying it.
I'm a somatic kind of guy,
So I like the body into it.
How do I embody a sense of loving kindness for myself and others?
Or another benefit of mindfulness is how can I hold space for difficult times and difficult situations,
Right?
It's a great practice for creating a better container.
Like if I'm feeling sad,
How do I create a kind of space for that?
And instead of fighting against it or tightening against it,
I want to have tools and practices that help me build a better container to deal with external challenges,
Internal challenges.
But I want my practice to be as natural as possible.
So really getting the simplicity of metta,
Right?
It's this really simple natural practice of wishing ourselves and others well,
Right?
May I be safe and free from worry and fear.
May I know happiness and good health.
May I be at ease and at peace.
And may I love and accept myself just as I am now,
No matter what happens.
And so we can all connect with all of those wishes for ourselves and others.
Like of course we want to feel safe and free from worry and fear.
Of course we want to be at ease.
Of course we want to accept ourselves.
That one's a little tougher for some of us,
But it's certainly a great intention or a great wish.
And so it's a very natural thing.
It's,
You know,
Sometimes we forget the simplicity of unconditional love and support.
I mean really just the floor at the ground right now and the chair that's holding you.
Sometimes when we're feeling alone or we're not feeling supported,
We can just feel the simplicity of that.
The chair is holding us unconditionally.
It doesn't care if you want it or not.
It's there for you.
And so just to feel that in the ground,
In the air that you're breathing,
In the food that you're eating,
All of this is coming to you in a supportive way.
The universe is supporting us in many different ways.
It doesn't always have to be human to human.
That's nice.
Of course we need that,
But it's not always there for us.
So where can we find it?
In the simplicity of the moment,
Of what's actually here.
Not what I wish I had,
But actually what is here in the moment.
So really getting that,
That the practice is a very simple natural practice of wanting and wishing love and kindness for ourselves and others.
And then the second part is for me,
Is the authenticity behind the wishes.
And we want,
You know,
Certainly I'm going to give you my own phrases and wishes tonight to use in your practice,
In our practice,
But you're certainly welcome to create your own,
Right?
Or use one or all of the ones that I'm offering you,
But you certainly can create your own.
A lot of people have their own meta practice that they like,
And that's fine.
Some people don't use phrases.
Some people use images.
Sometimes I do that.
Sometimes I just think about an image.
You know,
When we were just doing the practice there,
I was thinking about my cat.
I have this cat that is like so loving and no matter what,
And every morning it meets me at the bottom of the stairs and it wants me to pick it up and it rubs all over me.
And it's just such a beautiful moment.
And,
You know,
There's just something really beautiful about that.
And so there's that authentic experience of these.
For that one,
It's more of an image,
Right?
But it's still authentic.
So finding something that's authentic and even when you're saying the phrases,
Not just saying them in a mechanical kind of way,
But actually in a way that ripples into the heart.
It comes in through the heart and ripples out through the body.
And if it's for someone else,
Outward.
And of course,
Just as we wish ourselves these wishes that we're talking about,
We certainly want others to feel that as well.
Even the difficult people in our life,
Right?
Because they're suffering as well.
So those are the three things,
Right?
Intention.
Let's say four things.
Intention,
Creating a better container that we can use in our lives.
The natural simplicity of the practice and the authenticity of the practice.
And,
You know,
Using those to create a really what can become a quite beautiful practice that you can do in all kinds of ways and places.
So I hope that you will,
You know,
Take the practice tonight and create the best practice,
The most authentic practice,
And the simplest practice for yourself so that you can really take it with you and use it.
So we're going to begin our practice tonight as we always do with orienting.
So noticing the space around you and just kind of letting your eyes naturally move around the room.
Noticing how things look.
Noticing maybe some colors or images or shapes that you like.
Kind of noticing that experience of being here,
Right?
Really landing in the present moment.
In the safe place with community,
With others.
Really getting that,
Really orienting towards that.
Yeah.
And then when you're ready,
Beginning to let your eyes soften if that feels okay to you.
And eventually letting your eyes close.
And beginning our practice,
If you haven't already done so,
By really creating a sense of being supported,
Right?
Finding the most comfortable position and place you can for this practice.
Thinking of that as the beginning of loving kindness.
Doing something for yourself.
Receiving that sense of loving kindness.
Letting your body tell you if it doesn't feel quite right,
If there's something you need,
Some other position that you need to be in.
Really listening to that.
And beginning to notice how you're connected to the cushion or the chair,
The ground that you're sitting on or laying on.
Maybe noticing the pelvis and the sit bones.
Noticing the back and the spine if you're leaning against something.
Noticing the legs and the feet connected to the ground.
Really seeing if you can let go and allow this body,
The weight of this body,
To be supported and held.
Noticing those sensations of connection and support.
Trusting that.
Feeling that,
Even if it's a tiny bit,
Noticing that sense of feeling safe and supported.
And seeing if you can embody that.
And then beginning at the top of your head and slowly moving from the top of the head to the toes downward and noticing if there's any places of resistance or tension or bracing.
Just noticing if there's any places like that.
And we're not trying to force anything to relax,
But just to see if you notice any places like that.
Notice,
See if you can soften a bit.
Not forcing it,
But just to see if you can soften to those places of resistance and tension.
Especially in the eyes and the jaw,
The tongue,
Shoulders and the chest and the back.
The arms and hands,
The belly,
The pelvis and the legs and feet.
Just noticing things softening,
Easing,
Letting go.
And then bringing into your awareness some experience that you've had in the past,
Maybe recently even,
Where you were able to do something kind or generous for another being.
Could be a human being,
Could be a pet,
An animal.
Could be something very simple,
Just opening a door for someone or smiling or talking with someone.
Once you have that experience in your mind's eye,
Really taking it in,
Noticing the environment and if it's another being,
Noticing how it is for them to experience your kindness.
And seeing if you can embody that,
Seeing if you can connect to your original or basic goodness.
It's part of all of us,
Sometimes buried underneath our protection,
But still there.
See if you can connect with that basic goodness and embody that,
Noticing how it feels in the body.
If you can't think of anything that you did for someone,
Maybe you can think of something or remember an experience where someone did something for you and then experiencing it the same way,
Embodying it,
Feeling your own basic goodness.
And maybe even the basic goodness of others.
And then when you're ready,
Beginning this practice of metta for yourself,
Beginning with yourself.
And then we'll be moving to metta for a loved one or a benevolent being.
And then metta for a stranger,
Metta for a difficult person,
And then metta for all beings.
So beginning with ourself and offering yourself these wishes,
Repeating them silently to yourself.
May I be safe and free from worry and fear.
May I know happiness and good health.
May I be at ease and at peace.
May I love and accept myself just as I am now,
No matter what happens.
And again,
Bringing our attention to the heart space,
Letting go of the mind,
Bringing these wishes into the heart and letting them ripple out through the whole body or shining like a light of loving kindness that shines in every part of the body.
And now letting go and bringing into our awareness a loved one or a benevolent being.
So someone that we really trust for this part of the practice.
Could be someone that's very close to us,
Could be a friend or a loved one or a family member,
Or it could be a benevolent being,
Some teacher or someone like the Buddha or Jesus,
Mother Teresa,
Someone living or past,
An angel or a mythical being of some sort.
It's up to you,
But also if you wish,
You can imagine that this person or being,
Is sitting in front of you at whatever distance feels comfortable for you.
And you're offering them these same wishes.
And again,
Repeating silently to yourself and to this other being.
May you be safe and free from worry and fear.
May you know happiness and good health.
May you be at ease and at peace.
May you love and accept yourself just as you are now,
No matter what happens.
Once again,
Letting these wishes enter in through the heart and then rippling out through the body and then outward towards this other being.
Shining your light of loving kindness.
Letting go of our expectations,
Our agenda.
Offering these wishes unconditionally to this other being.
Not needing yourself to be a certain way or them to be a certain way.
Simply offering these wishes,
These kind and loving wishes.
And now letting go and bringing into your awareness a neutral person or a stranger.
Someone that you've recently seen somewhere,
Maybe on the side of the road or at a restaurant or a store,
Maybe even on TV.
Someone that you feel needs some loving kindness that you can offer to them.
And repeating to them,
For them,
These same wishes.
May you be safe and free from worry and fear.
May you know happiness and good health.
May you be at ease and at peace.
May you love and accept yourself just as you are now,
No matter what happens.
And now letting go and bringing into our awareness a difficult person.
And not needing to choose the most difficult person.
It could be someone very close to you,
Even a family member,
Someone that you're having a difficult and challenging time with.
Someone that may have said something or done something to you,
To upset you,
Something hurtful to you,
Something negative to you.
And seeing if you can offer this being,
This person,
These same wishes.
All beings deserve loving kindness.
And repeating these wishes to them.
May you be safe and free from worry and fear.
May you know happiness and good health.
May you be at ease and at peace.
May you love and accept yourself just as you are now,
No matter what happens.
And now letting go.
And now offering metta,
Loving kindness,
To all beings everywhere.
Beings in the sky,
Beings in all the different waters of the world,
Above the ground,
Below the sea.
All beings everywhere,
Not necessarily needing to focus on any particular being,
But really the essence of all beings,
Whoever they are.
And there are many ways to do this practice,
Really finding what's authentic and natural for you.
You could imagine that these wishes are moving out from you in different directions all around the world,
Like a light of loving kindness,
Or in some way like the winds moving across the lands.
You could imagine that you're holding in your hands very,
Very,
Very gently the entire planet and looking down and offering these wishes to all beings.
Whatever works for you,
Whatever feels authentic for you.
Creating that space for loving kindness to move outward.
And then offering these wishes to all beings.
May all beings be safe and free from worry and fear.
May all beings know happiness and good health.
May all beings be at ease and at peace.
May all beings love and accept themselves,
Just as they are now,
No matter what happens.
And now,
Letting go,
Letting go completely.
And just as you've been offering metta,
Loving kindness to other beings,
To all beings,
I offer the same to you.
And just to see if you can allow yourself to open and receive this,
The best that you can,
These wishes for yourself from me.
May you be safe and free from worry and fear.
May you know happiness and good health.
May you be at ease and at peace.
And may you love and accept yourself,
Just as you are now,
No matter what happens.
Namaste.
And coming back to the body once again,
Noticing that connection to the seat or the cushion or the ground.
Noticing the pelvis,
The sit bones,
The legs and the feet,
The back and the spine.
And once again,
Allowing and feeling that connection,
Allowing this body to be supported and connected.
And then when you're ready,
Only when you're ready,
You can begin to open your eyes,
Looking down at first,
Letting your eyes open and soften.
And then again,
When you're ready,
Once again,
Letting your eyes naturally orient and move around the room or the environment you're in.
And noticing how things look,
Noticing colors and shapes.
All right,
Thanks for being here with me.
May this practice bring you more ease and joy in your life.
And may you be safe and well.
Thank you.
