Metta for This Human Body

Transcript

[0:00] Good morning. Let's practice.

[0:40] Taking our seat. Allowing our body to stretch, to range. In this uplifted, facing towards our world. Opening our chest, our heart. With this strong, tall back. Whatever that means for our body at this time. Having this sense of feeling the connection to the earth, to the ground. Being grounded. Physically. Energetically. We are part of this earth. We're made of dirt. Soil. We are animated earth. Feeling into that connection. From which we are molded. And feeling also our connection to heaven. To space. To energy. That which animates us. Sitting. Joining. These two principles.

[3:07] Facing in. Towards the. Rising sun. Opening our heart. To all that is in the world. The joy and the sadness. Cultivating this willingness to turn towards. To be with. Despite our fears and anxieties. And so we sit. And cultivate this being with. Being with. Our thoughts. Being with. Our body. All parts of. Our mind. All parts of our body. Especially. Those parts that we. Turn away from. From. Being with.

[5:14] And just breathing and being with. Maybe it's our belly. Maybe it's our feet. Or the lines in our face. Or the pain in our fingers. Whatever it may be. These parts that we turn away from. Instead we could turn towards. Be friendly. Welcome. Be intimate.

[6:33] Just breathing. Cultivating.

[6:58] Cultivating our loving-kindness to ourselves, to each aspect. Not just ourselves as an abstract whole. But each little piece. Especially those that we turn away from. Can we really feel this loving-kindness? For the pieces we're embarrassed of. Maybe we're shameful about.

[8:20] Opening our heart. This source of loving-kindness. And allow it to permeate. These areas we turn away from.

[8:59] Can we open more? Allow this loving-kindness to flood our body. Each crevice. Our belly. May we be healthy.

[9:53] May our belly be happy. May our feet be happy. And healthy. May our feet be healthy. May our knees be healthy. May our thighs be healthy. Healthy and healthy. And bringing this loving-kindness also to our mind. Those aspects of mind that we find difficult. The loops or the anger or the stuckness, resistance. Bringing this heart, energy, this loving-kindness to these parts of us too. It's okay. Welcoming these as our teachers. Appreciating what we learn when we work with them. And cultivate this willingness to be with. Breathing. And opening our hearts of loving-kindness. May we be happy. May we be healthy. May we be free from suffering. And the cause of suffering. And we could bring to mind a loved one, somebody close, a partner, a lover, an animal that we live with, and extend our heart, our loving-kindness to include them, opening our heart to the aspects of their body that perhaps they turn away from. And extend our loving-kindness. May they be happy. May they be healthy. May they be free from suffering and the root of suffering.

[14:41] And we could include people in our neighborhood, people we see on the streets, reaching into our heart and opening to them. Those people have bodies. Those people may be ashamed. Those people may be suffering with disease. Those people may have parts of their mind, anger, that they are unhappy about, that they turn away from.

[16:16] Those people may be happy. May they be healthy. May they be free from suffering and the root of suffering.

[16:52] And we could extend further and we could include those people that we have conflict with. There is much conflict in the world. Sam is close to us with people that are physically close to us. Sam is farther away. Sam is with institutions, people in power. Sam is much more personal and intimate. We could include these people. They too have bodies. They too have pieces they are ashamed of, they turn away from. They too have fears. We have anger. Just like us. Can we open our heart with loving-kindness and include them? Just like me, may they be happy. May they be healthy. May they be free from suffering. And the root of suffering.

[19:06] It's not so easy to open our heart to those we don't understand. We may feel outrage, confusion, fear and anger towards. Can we be generous? Can we open our heart? They too have a human body. Can we flood our body with love and kindness?

[20:11] And can we extend further and include all beings? All animals that are suffering in many ways. All human beings. Just like me, they wish to be happy, to be healthy, to be free from suffering and the root of suffering. How open can we wrench our heart? And turn towards, be with. As we look towards the rising sun and extend our love, our kindness to all sentient beings. In our city, our state, our country, our continent, the whole world and beyond. May we be happy. May we be healthy. May we be free from suffering and the root of suffering.

[22:26] And then releasing, coming back to ourselves. And just feeling the energy of our heart, this awakened heart of joy and genuine sadness. Our awakened heart to flood our body with love and with kindness.