Every morning, I practice a loving-kindness, or Buhddist mettā meditation. The words are always evolving in order to maintain their meaning for me. Here is a shortened version of my current mettā meditation. Note that it starts with love for oneself, often the most difficult part to get through. But, just as you can’t make a meal for a friend if you haven’t cultivated any food to have in your own kitchen, you need to cultivate self-love in order to authentically project love to others.
This version incorporates thoughts of loving-kindness for the people in the Bahamas who are suffering from the effects of Hurricane Dorian. It’s important to back up your thoughts of love with actions of love, so I have included links to ways for you to send material aid to the Bahamas.
First, I sit with a straight spine and take a few deep, slow centering breaths. Then, I say out loud or silently:
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May I be happy
May I be healthy
May I ride the waves of my life
May I give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with my true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May (insert name of family member) be happy
May (insert name of family member) be healthy
May (insert name of family member) ride the waves of their life
May (insert name of family member) give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May all of my family be happy
May all of my family be healthy
May all of my family ride the waves of our lives
May all of my family give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with our true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May (insert name of friend) be happy
May (insert name of friend) be healthy
May (insert name of friend) ride the waves of their life
May (insert name of friend) give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May all of my friends be happy
May all of my friends be healthy
May all of my friends ride the waves of their lives
May all of my friends give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May (insert name of any kind of teacher) be happy
May (insert name of any kind of teacher) be healthy
May (insert name of any kind of teacher) ride the waves of their life
May (insert name of any kind of teacher) give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May all of my teachers be happy
May all of my teachers be healthy
May all of my teachers ride the waves of their lives
May all of my teachers give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May (insert name of someone you barely know) be happy
May (insert name of someone you barely know) be healthy
May (insert name of someone you barely know) ride the waves of their life
May (insert name of someone you barely know) give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May (insert name or description of someone with whom you have been in conflict) be happy
May (insert name or description of someone with whom you have been in conflict) be healthy
May (insert name or description of someone with whom you have been in conflict) ride the waves of their life
May (insert name or description of someone with whom you have been in conflict) give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May everyone I’ve ever had any conflict with be happy
May everyone I’ve ever had any conflict with be healthy
May everyone I’ve ever had any conflict with ride the waves of their lives
May everyone I’ve ever had any conflict with give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May everyone in (insert name of your current location) be happy
May everyone in (insert name of your current location) be healthy
May everyone in (insert name of your current location) ride the waves of their lives
May everyone in (insert name of your current location) give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May everyone in the Bahamas be happy
May everyone in the Bahamas be healthy
May everyone in the Bahamas ride the waves of their lives
May everyone in the Bahamas give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May all beings in front of me be happy
May all beings in front of me be healthy
May all beings in front of me ride the waves of their lives
May all beings in front of me give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May all beings behind me be happy
May all beings behind me be healthy
May all beings behind me ride the waves of their lives
May all beings behind me give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May all beings to the left of me be happy
May all beings to the left of me be healthy
May all beings to the left of me ride the waves of their lives
May all beings to the left of me give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May all beings to the right of me be happy
May all beings to the right of me be healthy
May all beings to the right of me ride the waves of their lives
May all beings to the right of me give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May all beings above me be happy
May all beings above me be healthy
May all beings above me ride the waves of their lives
May all beings above me give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May all beings below me be happy
May all beings below me be healthy
May all beings below me ride the waves of their lives
May all beings below me give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with their true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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May all beings – in me, on me, me myself, in the Earth, on the Earth, above the Earth, in the water, on the water, above the water, in the air, above the air, all beings everywhere, on all worlds, in all universes, in all dimensions, in all realities be happy
May all beings – in me, on me, me myself, in the Earth, on the Earth, above the Earth, in the water, on the water, above the water, in the air, above the air, all beings everywhere, on all worlds, in all universes, in all dimensions, in all realities be healthy
May all beings – in me, on me, me myself, in the Earth, on the Earth, above the Earth, in the water, on the water, above the water, in the air, above the air, all beings everywhere, on all worlds, in all universes, in all dimensions, in all realities ride the waves of their lives
May all beings – in me, on me, me myself, in the Earth, on the Earth, above the Earth, in the water, on the water, above the water, in the air, above the air, all beings everywhere, on all worlds, in all universes, in all dimensions, in all realities give and receive only loving-kindness in harmony with our true nature and the true nature of the Universe
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Here are some ways to help people in the Bahamas:
● The Bahamas Disaster Relief Fund, set up by the Bahamian government, is accepting wire transfers. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency has posted instructions here.
● Mercy Corps has sent a field team that’s meeting with emergency managers and other organizations to coordinate response efforts. The organization is accepting money here.
● Global Giving, a global crowdfunding platform, has set up the Hurricane Dorian Relief Fund to help local organizations purchase food, water and medicine.
● World Central Kitchen has sent teams to provide food on Grand Bahama and the Abacos. The organization, founded by chef José Andrés, is accepting money here.
This daisy links to another Daisybrain post:
This is my 2007 thesis for Lesley University's Masters of Education in Curriculum Design, focusing in Conflict Resolution and Peaceable Schools:
Daisybrain 