I understand that Metta Meditation is a Buddhist practice and I have small background in that traditional practice, but I have enjoyed doing this meditation even in its simple and elementary form. Its possible for anyone to generate loving feelings for others. This is a metta meditation that I have written for the yoga classes I teach. We practice the metta meditation once a month as part of our regular class.
Metta in the pali language means loving-kindness or friendliness. During this time of meditation we generate from our own hearts the emotions and feelings of loving-kindness towards ourselves and others.
Later today we can act and do the loving-kind behaviors, but now we will generate and feel them. For our focus today let all the people who come to your mind be those still living.
Picture that your heart is a cup. See the cup settling right there in the middle of your chest and sharing the space with your heart. Visualize whatever kind of cup you like. See its shape, size, color, texture and whether it has designs on the outside or if it just plain. Make the picture of this cup very vivid and real in your mind.
Now visualize pure clear sparkling water coming from the bottom of the cup and slowly filling it up. It can be cool or warm water - whichever you choose. As you visualize the water filling the cup slowly, regulate the water coming in with your breath. Each time you inhale, the water level rises.
Let this water filling up your cup be feelings of loving-kindness. Remember occasions when you were in a good mood and happy and cheerful. Generate these happy, contented, grateful feelings in your heart, and as you do this, your cup will fill more quickly. Very soon the water will be spilling out over the top. Your feelings of loving-kindness and goodwill cannot be contained anymore. They spill over, they spread to others. Only when you love yourself can you then share that with someone else.
As long as you have these feelings of loving-kindness the water will continue to spill out of the cup and run onto the ground. Your own feet get wet, but rather than being annoying or bothersome, its joyful and fun and just creates more happiness. Say to yourself: May I be happy and healthy. May I have joy and contentment.
Bring to your mind the face of someone who is alive, and who is a respected leader or teacher. Now visualize yourself walking over to this respected teacher and say to them: May you be happy and healthy. May you have joy and contenment. Your cup continues to spill out water and your heart truly wishes these blessing for this person. The clear sparkling water spilling out and touching everyone brings smiles and joy.
Bring to your mind your dearly beloved. These could be family or close friends who are living right now. See them walk toward you and soon the water reaches them and they begin to join the fun. Say to them: May you be happy and healthy. May you have joy and contenment. Visualize your cup again and it is still spilling out water with each breath The supply is endless. The water spreads farther and farther away from you on the ground.
Picture in your mind a few people who you are aquainted with, but don't know personally. You may not even know their names. Generate kind friendly feelings for them and say to them: May you be happy and healthy. May you have joy and contentment. The water spreads out from you to them.
The supply of clear clean water from your cup is endless. Now picture in your mind a person or group of people that has offended you or hurt your feelings or injured you in some way. Ultimately we must spread the joy of our overflowing cup to this person or people. Say to them: May you be happy and healthy. May you have joy and contentment.
Stay with these feelings and picture all these people sharing in the overflow of the cup in your heart.
Give general guidelines for coming up from meditation or relaxation.