1. Week 5 Ellen Shilling www.xhale.ie

2. Week 5 – The Metta Bhavana or Loving kindness Meditation www.xhale.ie “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” Dalai Lama

3. What is Metta? With Metta, we realise that we are all connected. Metta is an attitude of recognizing that all everyone wants to be happy Metta is empathy. It’s the willingness to see the world from another’s point of view: to walk a mile in another person’s shoes. Metta is friendliness, consideration, kindness, generosity. Metta is the basis for compassion. When our Metta meets another’s suffering, then our Metta transforms into compassion. Metta is boundless. We can feel Metta for any sentient being. Metta is the most fulfilling emotional state that we can know. It’s the fulfillment of the emotional development of every being. It’s our inherent potential. To wish another well is to wish that they be in a state of experiencing Metta. Metta is the answer to almost every problem the world faces today. Money won’t do it. Technology won’t do it. Metta will. (wildmind.org) www.xhale.ie

4. How…. May I/you be well. May I/you be happy. May I/you be at peace. You will cultivate metta for yourself. You will cultivate metta for a friend. You will cultivate metta for someone you don’t really know. You will cultivate metta for someone you have issues or difficulties with You will spread your metta to everyone and to the whole world www.xhale.ie

5. Lets meditate… www.xhale.ie Sometimes in order to open your eyes, you need to close them. Notice your thoughts. Observe your body. Accept what you find. Come back to your breath….. GENTLY

6. Invitation…. Meditate for 15 minutes a day. This week I’d like you to concentrate on giving yourself metta. Using the mantra today perhaps or treating yourself to a nice bath or good food. Whatever it is that appeals to you to develop metta towards yourself. We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.” His Holiness the Dalai Lama www.xhale.ie