Loving Kindness (Metta) Meditation practice.
The words are:
May I be filled with loving kindness
May I be well
May I be peaceful and at ease
And may I be happy.
Repeat this phrase, speaking or chanting, a few times through.
Then extend the practice to your loved ones:
May you be filled with loving kindness
May you be well
May you be peaceful and at ease
And may you be happy.
Bringing to mind your family and friends, as you speak or chant the Metta phrases – wishing them well and happy.
Here Comes The Challenging Part
An additional, and more challenging, way to practice, is to offer well-wishing to a person or a circumstance that is challenging for you.
- Bring to mind a person you have difficulty liking or accepting.
- Bring to mind a circumstance in the world – war or injustice.
- Bring to mind the suffering of refugees or the homeless.
May you be filled with loving kindness
May you be well
May you be peaceful and at ease
And may you be happy.
Continue to chant, staying calm, centered and relaxed – allowing any judgments or criticisms to arise – until you can genuinely send loving thoughts to that person or circumstance.
Notice how this practice begins to resonate throughout your day and ease tension, critical self-talk and discontent with the world.
And always remember to bring the loving kindness back to yourself – placing your hand on your heart:
May I be filled with loving kindness
May I be well
May I be peaceful and at ease
And may I be happy.