Week 3 Loving- Kindness to acquaintances
“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.”
—Princess Diana
We are back to our Metta meditation practice this third week of May. Moving forward with the traditional format of the meditation, the next step is to share our kind words and thoughts with people we do not have a true relationship with, maybe we barely know. The mail delivery person, grocery checkout clerk, salesperson, or even a neighbor we have a “greeting” relationship with, we do not know anything about them. What we do know, is they have the same wants and needs as we do. It may seem strange to extend loving-kindness to them, but it is part of this beautiful meditation that we have been building upon. It becomes more natural as we practice.
Begin by repeating the first week’s practice:
May I be safe
May I be healthy
May I be happy
May I be at ease
May I be filled with loving-kindness
May I be peaceful
And then sending to those we love:
May you be safe
May you be healthy
May you be at ease
May you be filled with loving-kindness
May you be peaceful
Then repeating to someone who we see often, but do not really know. Notice how it may not feel the same to say these words to them. It is still meaningful, as we build this practice.
May you be safe
May you be healthy
May you be at ease
May you be filled with loving-kindness
May you be peaceful
Three times a day, a small step to creating a more compassionate world.