It’s all about the love this time of the year. Whether it’s for your partner, pet, best friend, or just yourself, it always feels good to sink in to that lovin’ feeling.
There’s an amazing meditation that is a great way to tap into that open heart space. It’s called Metta Bhavana, and it translates to “loving kindness”. There are a couple of stages, but the great thing is that you can do it anywhere!
Stage 1 : For Yourself. This meditation is for you, from you. Find a place to stand, sit, dance–whatever it may be!–and say to yourself, “May I be happy. May I be well. May I be full of love and kindness.” Say it a couple of times, as many times so that you really feel it.
Stage 2 : For A Friend. Do this meditation for someone in your life that you care about. You can bring them into your mind, or you can even be in their company. Say in your mind, “May you be happy. May you be well. May you be full of love and kindness.” Repeat as much as you like.
Stage 3 : For An Acquaintance. This is a great meditation to do for someone you don’t know–the person making your coffee, the person next to you on the bus, the person you see on the street, etc. Say to them in your mind, “May you be happy. May you be well. May you be full of love and kindness.” Say it a few times and see how it feels!
Stage 4 : For A Foe. We all have someone who’s rubbed us the wrong way, or who we’ve rubbed the wrong way. It’s life! However, it’s no good to keep holding on to difficult feelings. This may be one of the most difficult stages, but it makes a big difference. So, think of someone who brings up a difficult feeling and say to them internally, “May you be happy. May you be well. May you be full of love and kindness.”
Enjoy spreading the love.
