May You Live In Safety And Health": A Mindful Meditation Practice For Wellbein

may you live in safety and health meditation

Loving-kindness meditation, also known as Metta meditation, is a centuries-old practice that originates from the Buddhist tradition. It involves repeating a set of phrases expressing your wish for yourself and others to be happy, healthy, peaceful, and safe. The meditation begins with a blessing for yourself, then moves on to those you love, neutral individuals, people you have negative feelings towards, and finally, all living beings. The practice helps cultivate love, compassion, and equanimity, challenging our tendency to see people as disconnected and isolated. It also helps us recognise and nourish our intention for not only ourselves but also others to be happy and safe, making better life choices along the way.

Characteristics Values
First phrase May you be happy
Second phrase May you be healthy
Third phrase May you be safe
Fourth phrase May you live with ease

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May you be happy

Loving-kindness meditation, or Metta meditation, is a centuries-old practice that originates from the Buddhist tradition. The meditation involves repeating a set of phrases expressing your wish for yourself and all beings to be happy, peaceful, healthy, safe, and at ease.

The practice of Metta meditation begins with a blessing for yourself. You can start by thinking about what truly brings you happiness and connecting to the feeling of that experience. Then, you silently repeat your chosen phrases to yourself several times. Some examples of phrases include:

  • May I be happy
  • May I be peaceful
  • May I be well
  • May I live with ease
  • May I be free of pain
  • May I be free from harm
  • May I be free of suffering

After sending loving-kindness to yourself, you can expand your meditation to include others. First, think of someone you are close to and picture them sitting in front of you. Speak your chosen phrases to them as if they are there with you. Then, let that person stand up and walk away, and bring your attention back to your breathing. Repeat this process for someone you have neutral feelings about and then for someone you have negative feelings about. Finally, send loving-kindness to all living beings.

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May you be peaceful

May you be a beacon of peace, spreading calm and harmony wherever you go. May your presence bring solace to those in turmoil and may you be an instrument of reconciliation and harmony. May you leave a legacy of peace in your wake, touching the lives of others with your serene presence.

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May you be free of suffering

This meditation is a practice of cultivating benevolence and kindness. It is a way of freeing oneself from the harmful effects of holding grudges or ill-will towards others. The meditation begins with a blessing for oneself, then extends to loved ones, neutral people, and finally, to those one may find difficult.

To begin, find a comfortable sitting position with your spine erect. Take a deep inhale, followed by a couple of long, slow exhales. Repeat this a few times until you feel calm and relaxed. Imagine a warm, radiant light surrounding you—this is the light of Divine Consciousness, pouring over you and revealing the purity of your heart. Feel yourself safe, loved, and protected by this light. Repeat these blessings to yourself:

May I be free of suffering. May I be healed. May I be a source of healing for all beings. May my heart remain open. May I awaken to the light of my true nature.

Now, bring to mind a loved one. See them clearly in your mind's eye and imagine the light of Divine Consciousness pouring over them, revealing the purity of their heart. Imagine them safe, loved, and protected by this radiant light. Bless them:

Next, think of a neutral person—someone you may encounter in your day but don't know well, like a cashier at a store. As before, imagine them surrounded by the radiant light of Divine Consciousness, revealing the purity of their heart. Bless them:

Finally, bring to mind someone who is difficult to love. It is an advanced practice to send loving-kindness to someone with whom you have trouble. But remember, this practice is as much for yourself as it is for them. Imagine them in as much detail as possible and try to remember that they, like you, are doing their best. Imagine the light washing away their negativity and illusions. Bless them:

Notice how these practices affect your heart. Do you feel more open and compassionate? If judgmental thoughts arise during the day, take a moment to send loving-kindness blessings first to yourself and then to others. Remember, this practice is about cultivating benevolence and kindness, freeing yourself and others from suffering, and wishing for peace and happiness for all.

shunspirit

May you be free of harm

Loving-kindness meditation, or Metta meditation, is a mindfulness practice that can improve your well-being. It is one of four foundational practices taught by Buddha, the others being compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.

The meditation consists of silent repetitions of phrases like "May I be happy", "May I be healthy", "May I be safe", and "May I live with ease". These feelings are directed initially towards oneself, then a loved one, a neutral person, and finally, a difficult person.

The practice is concerned with the cultivation of benevolence or kindness. It is meant to free the person doing the meditation from the negative thoughts associated with holding grudges or ill-will against another being.

  • Come to a comfortable sitting position with your spine erect. Take a deep inhale followed by a few long, slow exhales. Do this until you no longer feel any power behind the letting go of the breath.
  • Imagine the love and light of Divine Consciousness (your idea of God or the wisdom of your heart) pouring over you and washing through you, revealing the purity of your heart. Feel yourself totally safe, loved, and enclosed in this radiant light.
  • Repeat these Metta phrases to yourself: "May I be at peace", "May my heart remain open", "May I awaken to the light of my true nature", "May I be healed", and "May I be a source of healing for all beings".
  • Bring a loved one to mind and imagine them in as much detail as possible. Imagine the light of Divine Consciousness pouring over them and revealing the purity of their heart. Bless them with the same phrases you used for yourself.
  • Repeat this process for a neutral person—someone you may come into contact with daily but don't know well.
  • The final step is to extend blessings to someone who may be a little or very hard to love. Remember that this practice is as much for yourself as it is for them. Imagine them in as much detail as possible and bless them with the same phrases.

Now, to adapt this meditation to the phrase "May you be free of harm", you can use the following steps:

  • Assume a comfortable sitting position and focus on your breath.
  • When you feel ready, picture someone who loves you unconditionally. Evoke the feelings of their selfless love and kindness towards you. Allow yourself to bask in these feelings, cradled by their love and acceptance.
  • Become the source as well as the object of these feelings. In other words, take on these feelings for yourself as if they were your own. Include yourself in the field of loving-kindness.
  • Whisper to yourself: "May I be safe and protected and free from inner and outer harm". Repeat this phrase gently and slowly, inwardly hearing and sensing the words.
  • Expand the field of loving-kindness around yourself. Invite other beings, either singly or together, into this growing embrace. Start with someone for whom you harbour feelings of loving-kindness. Wish them well: "May they be safe and protected and free from inner and outer harm".
  • Continue to expand the field of loving-kindness to include neutral people or strangers. Wish them well: "May they be safe and protected and free from inner and outer harm".
  • Finally, extend loving-kindness to those who are difficult for you or with whom you share a problematic past. Wish them well: "May they be safe and protected and free from inner and outer harm".

By practising this meditation, you are cultivating a sense of safety and freedom from harm for yourself and others. You are sending out blessings and radiating loving-kindness to those around you, creating a sense of peace and protection.

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May you be free of pain

Meditation is a powerful tool that can help ease pain and reduce stress. While it may not take the pain away, it can help us calm down and observe bodily sensations, including pain, which may help us relax and accept discomfort.

Preparation

Find a quiet and comfortable place where you won't be interrupted. You can sit, lie down, or be in any position that feels good for your body. You may prefer dim lighting and a quiet space. Props like pillows or blankets can support your comfort and sense of security, but they are not required.

Meditation

Take a few deep breaths, in and out. Feel yourself sitting or lying here. Feel your belly gently expanding when you inhale and receding when you exhale.

Now, bring to mind someone you love tremendously—a parent, a partner, a child, or a sibling. Imagine them in front of you and offer them this blessing:

> "May you be free of pain. May you live a life without suffering. May you find comfort and ease."

Next, think of another person you love and wish for them:

> "May you be free of pain. May any discomfort you feel melt away. May you find peace and relief."

Now, bring to mind someone you rarely think about but would recognize if you met them—perhaps a familiar stranger, like a hairdresser or a postal worker. Wish for them:

> "May you be free of pain. May you heal and recover. May you be strong and resilient."

Finally, expand your circle of compassion to include all beings, near and far. Wish for all beings:

> "May you be free of pain. May you find solace and strength. May you be at ease."

Before you open your eyes, take a moment to offer these blessings to the people around you—to your right, to your left, behind you, and in front of you. Feel yourself radiating these wishes of well-being to them. When you open your eyes, look around and notice the people who have been blessing you too.

Remember, meditation is a practice, and it may take time to see results. Start small, perhaps with a 5-minute meditation, and gradually increase the duration. Be patient and compassionate with yourself, and know that your perception of pain can change over time with patience and practice.

Frequently asked questions

This meditation is a centuries-old practice that originates from the Buddhist tradition. It is also known as the Metta practice or loving-kindness meditation. It involves repeating a set of phrases expressing your wish for yourself and all beings to be happy, healthy, peaceful, and safe.

You can start by finding a comfortable position, closing your eyes, and focusing on your breath. Then, you can bring to mind different categories of people in your life: those you love, those you feel neutral about, and those you have negative feelings towards. For each person or group, you silently wish them well by repeating phrases such as "May you be safe", "May you be happy", "May you be healthy", or "May you live with ease".

The meditation has been associated with a range of emotional, social, neurological, and physical health benefits. These include increased positive emotions, reduced self-criticism and depressive symptoms, improved empathy, and slower biological ageing. It can also provide immediate relaxation benefits, helping to calm and soothe the mind.

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