Every morning. Every single morning for the past eight years, I light candles, settle onto a cushion, close my eyes and say the loving kindness meditation/prayer, Metta. A universal prayer of peace.
May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness.
May they be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
May they never be separated from the great bliss that is without suffering; and
May all remain in equanimity, free of attachment and aversion.
I say it several times. Once for myself, in the spirit of giving a gift to myself, the gift of happiness, peace, kindness. In the spirit of generosity and love I say it outward, once for my children, once for my friends and family, once for anyone in particular in need of support, healing, blessing, my attention or affection or someone who has been a benevolent force in my life, shared time, energy, space, kindness support with me. Once for the folks that feel challenging in my life. Then once for all of us, the collective us, all of humanity, all beings in nature.
It is how I touch into that which is greater than myself, my place in the family of things, the collective of humanity, my role in the perpetuation of love and kindness. It grounds me in the now and sets the tone for the day. It is my work to be a force of love and extend that outward as well as inward. To be in service to the greater good.
I offer this meditation, this ritual to you as a way of priming your body, your heart, your nervous system, your brain for peace, a way of connecting into a greater force of love and wellbeing, a wish for all to be well, happy and peaceful. A chant if you will, for healing.
Try it for a week, a month, a season. See what it feels like in your body to say the words out loud, to extend the blessing outward and inward, to lean into the ritual as a resource for your wellbeing and the wellbeing of others and connecting to the family of things. See how it feels.
Start with yourself, be kind, generous and loving to yourself first then extend that love and kindness outward to the people in your life, the easy and the challenging people, and to all. Lay love over all that is.
I’ve used Metta to calm and comfort myself. To meditate on someone I love when I feel disconnected. To connect with God, Spirit, The Divine, Love, The Universe, The Force, whatever you identify with as a presence greater than us. A Presence that is never absent.
I like this version of Metta too. It’s helped me calm the storms of my heart when, comforted me in suffering and moved me to a place of peace.
May we be well happy and peaceful.
May no harm come to us.
May no difficulties come to us.
May we always meet with miraculous success.
May we also have the courage, patience and understanding to meet and overcome inevitable problems and failures in life.
May we always remember we are connected to a Presence that is never absent.
May we be held, may we be healed, may we be transformed.
I offer these prayers and this ritual to you as a way to connect with the Peace that resides within all of us. As a pathway to your freedom.
Much Love,
Shelly