Yoga and Prayer: Metta (Loving Kindness)
A few friends came over tonight for some yoga and prayer time. Here’s what we did:
As you lay in corpse pose and remember that all love comes first from God, we love because he first loved us. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” let those words sink into your body and soul. God loves you. You are his child. Read 1 John 4:7-12 and 16.
Music: listen to the hymn “Here is Love”. (Throughout the rest of the time listen to wordless instrumental music).
Seated in cross legged easy pose, bound angle pose, or half lotus pose. Focus on breath for a few moments. On exhale imagine yourself letting go of and exhaling all the tension and negative thoughts that you feel towards yourself and others. Let go of your fear. Let go of your anger. Let go of your greed. Let go of your jealousy. Let go of your aversion. On your inhale imagine bringing into yourself and filling yourself with positive thoughts and feelings. Fill your mind with love. Fill your mind with kindness. Fill your mind with peace. Fill your mind with patience. Fill your mind with gentleness. Allow yourself to really feel these feelings of loving kindness. Now bring your awareness and attention to the center of your chest as if you are taking all of these positive feelings and emotions into your heart.
“May thoughts of loving friendliness embrace me and envelope me. May every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of my entire body and mind be charged with thoughts of friendliness. May I relax my body. May I relax my mind. May my mind and body be filled with the thought of loving friendliness. May peace and tranquility pervade my entire being.”
May I be at peace May my heart remain open May I be free May I be safe from inner and outer harm. May I have no place in my heart for greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear May I be filled with compassion, sympathy and joy May I have benevolence towards all living beings, joy at the sight of the virtuous, compassion and sympathy for the afflicted, and tolerance towards the indolent and ill-behaved.
Sun Salutation (2 complete sets)
Think now of someone who it is easy for you to feel love towards:
May they be at peace May their heart remain open May they be free May they be safe from inner and outer harm. May they have no place in their heart for greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear May they be filled with compassion, sympathy and joy May they have benevolence towards all living beings, joy at the sight of the virtuous, compassion and sympathy for the afflicted, and tolerance towards the indolent and ill-behaved.
Reversed Warrior II
(Repeat last 7 poses on the other side)
Bring your attention to a person you are neutral towards, someone that you don’t know well or don’t have any strong feelings towards:
May they be at peace May their heart remain open May they be free May they be safe from inner and outer harm. May they have no place in their heart for greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear May they be filled with compassion, sympathy and joy May they have benevolence towards all living beings, joy at the sight of the virtuous, compassion and sympathy for the afflicted, and tolerance towards the indolent and ill-behaved.
Sun salutation (1 set)
Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
Now think of someone for whom it is difficult for you to feel love towards, maybe a true enemy or maybe just someone that you don’t get along well with. Picture that person as you send this blessing toward them:
May they be at peace May their heart remain open May they be free May they be safe from inner and outer harm. May they have no place in their heart for greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear May they be filled with compassion, sympathy and joy May they have benevolence towards all living beings, joy at the sight of the virtuous, compassion and sympathy for the afflicted, and tolerance towards the indolent and ill-behaved.
Bharadvaja’s Twist (to both sides)
May my mind be filled with the thoughts of loving friendliness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity. May I be generous. May I be gentle. May I be relaxed. May I be happy and peaceful. May I be healthy. May my heart become soft. May my words be pleasing to others. May my actions be kind.
May all that I see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and think help me to cultivate loving friendliness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity. May all these experiences help me to cultivate thoughts of generosity and gentleness. May they all help me to relax. May they inspire friendly behavior. May these experiences be a source of peace and happiness. May they help me to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness.
No matter where I go in the world, in any direction, may I greet people with happiness, peace, and friendliness. May I be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
Listen to the song Grace and Peace (2 Thessalonians 1:2) by Fernando Ortega.
Sit up to easy cross legged pose, bound angle pose, or half lotus.
Read the universal Metta meditation from the book Mindfulness in Plain English (page 195 in my copy).
Rejoicing in the journey - Bethany Stedman