Audio: Guided Mettā Meditation — Vajra Ling

A guided mettā bhāvanā (loving-kindness meditation), recorded at Vajra Ling Gompa, Rocky River, following the classical step-by-step sequence through an auxiliary being, the self, a dear one, a neutral being, and a difficult being.

Sakya tradition · Vajra Ling, Rocky River · English · Guided sit

Transcript

Begin, once again, let us come back to that stable posture that allows us some stillness, inviting awareness back to the body and anchoring there in the breath once again, meeting that inflow and outflow of the breath, perhaps like an old friend, knowing that this is our anchor point, our island within. We can always come back to just this, if our practice becomes dull, dry, or overwhelming indeed. Perhaps even taking a few deep in-breaths, and gently lengthening into the out-breath, really encouraging that settling, down-regulating, allowing the breath to massage the body, quieting the mind as we do so, inviting a continuity of awareness to sensations of the breath, just as it is — no need to change, to modify the breath in any way — relaxing the whole body, letting go of tensions, letting go of distractions.

[Three sounds of the bell.]

We will begin this guided meditation, mettā bhāvanā, cultivation of kinship, kindness, of friendship, of love — and having established ourselves in that connection with the breath, knowing that this anchor, this safe harbour, is always available to us to return to, I invite you to track sensations of the next in-breath down into the heart space, gently shifting attention from breath to the sensations there in the heart, the upper chest, however they appear to us in this moment — aware of spaciousness or density, of softness or hardness, of smoothness or roughness, of heaviness or lightness, or any sensation at all, even those that defy a name. Breathing out, relaxing into that knowing, allowing it to deepen, to clarify, trusting that this is real and true for me, here and now — nothing to add or subtract.

And having met that arising with some sensitivity, that touch of awareness with feelings in the heart space, I invite you now to gently give rise to a mental image in the space in front of that first being — that helpful being — who can begin to open that window or doorway into connection: a vulnerable being, perhaps a baby animal of some kind, one for whom care flows instinctively from the heart. Allowing that image to clarify, and tracking the feelings in the heart space as we do so. We can experiment with different images until we find one that links to a shift, perhaps even a tiny one, in the heart space — perhaps where there was hardness, softness; where there was roughness, smoothness; where there was heaviness, lightness; or perhaps a shift that we cannot name, but trusting also in this unfolding.

This is a feeling of friendliness — harmonising that image and feeling with the wish that this little being, in its vulnerability, be free from pain and suffering, free from anger and enmity directed towards itself — source of so much painful feeling in body and mind — that this little being carry itself in ease and happiness. And as we do so, imagining not only the benefit for this being in its ease of body and mind, the relaxation that it feels, that sense of safety visible in its posture, its restfulness — directly sharing in that benefit in our own body and mind, tracking the feelings in the heart space and breath by breath in the rest of the body also, allowing awareness to expand outwards from the heart into the shoulders, the arms and hands, the neck and head, the back of the body, the front of the body, the belly, the pelvis, the legs, upper and lower, left and right. Here also, ease, restfulness, safety, the mind infused with kindness, no room for anger or hatred — just this sense of connection.

And having established ourselves in this cultivation, also knowing we can return to this step at any time to refresh the felt experience of this unfolding of love and kinship in the body and mind, or indeed to the breath and earlier step — we can deepen this cultivation now with a mental image, in the space in front also, this time of ourselves as a child: vulnerable, subject to loss, to sadness, to joy also, craving only freedom from unpleasant sensation in body and mind. And if it helps, we can even imagine ourselves still holding that first being, that helping image — the kitten, the duckling, the puppy — whatever helps us to stay in touch with the felt experience in the body of this wish: that I myself be free from pain and suffering, free from oppression, that I carry myself, body and mind, all in happiness.

And even if we have a sense that, at some important moment in the past, we lacked that care, that safety, imagining the possibility in this moment to offer that care to ourselves as a child, here and now — perhaps even as a light and warmth radiating from its epicentre in the heart space towards ourselves in this imagined image. And picturing also the benefit that such an embrace of light and warmth, of love and care, would have for such a one — an ease, a restfulness of posture, perhaps a gentle smile on the lips, the tears dried, safe at last — directly sharing in that benefit in our own body and mind, in this moment, relaxing, letting go of tensions, distractions, breathing with the heart space, and with that image and intention, breathing in, aware of the in-breath.

And having established ourselves, at least with some familiarity, in this stage also, knowing that we can always return here, or to an earlier step, or indeed in a future session stay with just this cultivation — gently moving on, familiarising ourselves with the next steps also in mettā bhāvanā, giving rise to a mental image in the space in front now of a dear being — a human being this time, perhaps our kin, family, but not the dearest one, and so avoiding that pitfall of attachment, of clinging, near enemy of loving-kindness — but all the same, a being towards whom our love flows instinctively. And if it helps to bring the cultivation to life, also imagining this person as a child, perhaps even still holding that auxiliary object, vulnerable, in need of care, and imagining we have the power to offer that embrace of light and warmth, here and now, to this being — harmonising that image and intention with the feeling in the body, of tenderness, of friendliness, no room for anger — may this being also be free from pain and suffering, unpleasant sensation in body and mind, free from oppression, misfortune, may they carry themselves, body and mind, in contentment and freedom. Breathing in, aware of the in-breath, tracking feelings of the breath in the body, breathing with the heart space even.

Gently leaving behind this step and moving to the next cultivation, giving rise to the mental image now of a neutral being — one whom we recognise clearly enough, but without a tendency one way or the other to categorise them as kin or other, as in-group or out-group — but here, continuing in that softening of the barriers to our connection, by recognising this being was also, just like us and our dear ones, a child once: completely vulnerable, dependent on care, in their chest a heart that beats, with the ups and downs of life just like in our own, worthy of love, protection, safety. Imagining the possibility that we could offer that to them now, harmonising feeling in the body, image in the mind, and this intention, heartfelt, that such a being also be free from pain and suffering, free from anger, enmity directed to them, that they carry themselves, body and mind, all in happiness. Breathing in, tracking the breath, breathing with the heart space still.

Gently leaving behind this stage, knowing we can always return, or even dwell in this cultivation in a future session — but now, giving rise to a mental image in the space in front of a more challenging object this time: the difficult one — again, not the most difficult, however, but a being, a human being who nonetheless would tend to lie outside the normal circle of our love and care. But here, by recognising that this being also was once a child, and even imagining them now as a child, softening that barrier that would ordinarily limit the extension of our care to such a being — including them also in this slowly widening circle, centred in the heart space: once in need of care, completely dependent on a mother’s love, subject to the ups and downs of life, to mishaps, to losses, to grief and sorrow, worthy, just like us and our kin, of that protection and safety when it is needed most.

Imagining the possibility to offer that now, tracking feelings in the heart space as they shift and change, knowing we can always give this being also, this child, that helping object to hold — doubly worthy now of kindness and care, of tenderness, as they also embrace a duckling, a kitten, a puppy, whatever works to bring this cultivation to life — knowing these are just props, supports for a tendency that we have in the heart, in seed form, that makes us human indeed. Imagining the benefit that embrace of light and warmth would have for this being — their ease of posture, a gentle smile on their lips, their tears dried at last, safe, protected, cared for — sharing in those feelings in body and mind, as we harmonise that feeling and image with the intention that this being also be free from pain and suffering, free from anger, oppression, that they carry themselves, body and mind, all in happiness.

And as we slowly conclude, I invite you now to gently let go of those visualisations, returning simply to the breath in the body for a moment, tracking closely once again, in-breath and out-breath, sensations arising and passing, arising and passing — softening around this experience also, aware of pleasant feeling in the body, perhaps also of unpleasant feeling in the body, and asking: is it possible to befriend this aspect of experience also, that here is an arising and enduring that will also pass, due to causes and conditions, not worthy of my attachment nor aversion — offering ourselves that gift of balance, placement of mind with experience, an evenness, a clarity, a letting go, perhaps — safe in this anchorage of breath in the body, as it is, nothing to add or subtract, just this.

[A pause, then gently rubbing the hands together, giving rise to some warmth there, offering that to ourselves — a gentle massage for the face, the head, the neck, the shoulders, the arms and hands — gently transitioning from that inward focus and awareness to a more external awareness, opening the eyes if they’re not already open, adjusting your posture if it has become uncomfortable.]

And as we conclude, also taking a moment just to reflect briefly on that practice session — noticing what flowed, what felt stuck, perhaps; places where there was friction, or places where there was clarity. Not missing out on the opportunity to add, to learn from each and every sit — the only bad meditation being the one that we skip, as we say.

So thank you all very much for your patience, your listening, your questions — this inquiry that we are creating together.