Colors of Compassion: A Metta Meditation

Let’s take some time today to come together to acknowledge the rainbow range of humanity enriching our lives and celebrate them with grateful and compassionate hearts.

Please take a moment or two to settle into a meditative posture that’s comfortable for you, deepening your breath and arriving in this space. Relax your face, softening your brow, unclenching your jaw, letting your tongue pool onto the bottom of your mouth as you open your lips and drop your chin down a bit.  When you feel ready, close your eyes or take a soft gaze.

Let your shoulders fall down away from your ears, then soften your arms, hands, chest, back, and belly, settling in even deeper. 

If it feels right for you to do so, place one or both hands over your heart.  Breathe in and feel your heart.  Breathe out.

Breathe in and out at your own pace, imagining your heart beating in colors: Red beats, and orange. Boom boom, boom boom. Yellow heartbeats, and green. Boom boom, boom boom. Blue beats, and purple. Boom boom, boom boom, boom boom. Pink beats, and indigo. Breathing in and out all the hues of your beating, loving heart.  Boom boom, boom boom, boom boom.      

Now, as we continue breathing rainbow breaths, let’s each bring into our mind’s eye an image of someone we love without effort, perhaps one of our blameless babies, empathetic elders, patient pets, or faithful friends. Hold them in your heart and mind, and thank them for enriching your life by casting their glittery glow across its every facet.

Let us honor these bright beings and wish them well with words of lovingkindness:

May they be happy, healthy, and whole.

May they know tenderness, warmth, and grace.

May they always feel loved and accepted

As their lights shine compassion on our communities.  

Releasing the image of that person, let’s move across this color arc and bring into our mind’s eye the lovely people we interact with on a daily basis, perhaps in our homes or workplaces, our supportive spouses, pride-filled parents, or collegial colleagues. Holding them in your heart and mind, thank those whose pretty palettes paint our days brighter with their presence and rapport.   

Let us recognize these benevolent beings and wish them well with words of lovingkindness:

May they be happy, healthy, and whole.

May they know tenderness, warmth, and grace.

May they always feel loved and accepted

As their lights shine compassion on our communities.  

Now let’s move to the apex of the rainbow to encompass the many people we don’t really know but who have nevertheless helped us out in ways great and small.  In gratitude for the sweeping shine of their thoughtful responsiveness, we salute the sacrifice of soldiers, the solicitousness of servers, the dedication of doctors, and the goodwill ambassadors who smile as they open doors for strangers or offer friendliness and fellowship instead of fueling foolish fires.      

Let us commend these kind souls and wish them well with words of lovingkindness:

May they be happy, healthy, and whole.

May they know tenderness, warmth, and grace.

May they always feel loved and accepted

As their lights shine compassion on our communities.  

Now let us move to the backside of the rainbow and consider ourselves as essential components of this loving friendliness creation. One by one we came together in community today, and by doing so, we spanned the reach of our individual realms. Through our practice of Metta, we are doing what we can to color the collective in the care and courage required to realize communal compassion for all.

Holding our group in our hearts and minds and feeling the strength of our combined presence as we gather, we thank each other for meditating together and send out positive intentions for the highest good of all.

Let us warm our heats with mutual regard and wish ourselves well with words of lovingkindness:

May we be happy, healthy, and whole.

May we know tenderness, warmth, and grace.

May we always feel loved and accepted

As our lights shine compassion on our communities.  

Finally, as we return once again to our rainbow breath, let’s bring into our mind’s eye the entire prism of humanity, encompassing all people from all places everywhere.

Visualize this colorful band of characters holding hands across our rainbow, and notice how some spread joy while others sow dissent; some thrive when others struggle; where there is health, sickness; happiness, sorrow; noise, silence. Yet, every single person wants and deserves to receive the powerful promises contained in these warm-hearted wishes for their well-being.

Let us release our hold on our rainbow breathing, rejoice in our shared humanity, and wish the whole world well with words of lovingkindness:

May all people everywhere be happy, healthy, and whole.

May they know tenderness, warmth, and grace.

May they always feel loved and accepted

And lights of compassion shine on their communities.  

And so it is. 

When you are ready, release your hands from your heart if that’s where you had them, and slowly open your eyes if you had them closed. Begin to introduce some gentle movement back into your body, perhaps some gentle stretching or self-massage. Take your time and ease your way back into the present moment.

Would anyone care to share about today’s Metta meditation practice for cultivating compassion? We’d love to hear from you!      

Author: Terry Shamblin