Householder yoga series is a set of practical tools rooted in yogic tradition to help moms build up their daily practice amidst their new role, busy schedules and limited time for themselves. Each tool is integrated in the regular daily activities you are already doing with your baby, in a way that it builds on and expands the mom-baby relationship to directly serve your growth and development. The aim of this practice is to cultivate more awareness, enhance your wellbeing and integrate the power of motherhood; as well as to collect precious moments and have some fun with your baby.
Metta (or loving kindness) meditation is a beautiful practice from the Buddhist tradition, that aims to cultivate kindness and warmth towards the other. It evokes a loving, warm feeling – which is then gradually expanded by repetition of specific, benevolent phrases.
I personally love how it complements and easily builds upon the unconditional love that we feel for our babies. Hence I introduced Metta meditation in our daily mom-baby routine – as it comes rather natural to tap into the space of loving kindness and expand it beyond the mom-baby bond.
Metta meditation can be practiced in slightly different variations. As a part of our Householder yoga series, where our practice is deliberately introduced and intertwined throughout our daily routines, I kindly suggest to repeat the phrases out loud, so that your baby can also benefit from the loving kindness we aim to cultivate. Here is a detailed guide on how to practice Metta meditation with your baby:
Set up a designated time to practice (app. 20 min). I usually do it in the afternoon, when we are on our own and can relax without interruption.
To ease into the present moment, take couple of deep, slow breaths. Try to slow down your exhalation. Just take a few moments there to connect to the present through your breathing, acknowledging your existence in the space.
Metta is always first practiced towards oneself. The premise behind is: we cannot love others unless we love ourselves first. Start by acknowledging your good intention, your good heart. How great it is that you decided to carve up time for this beautiful practice. How great it is that you decided to share the loving kindness with your baby. How great it is that you are willingly expanding it for others. Then, slowly and steadily repeat following phrases (out load):
May I be safe.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I live with ease.
Loving kindness is build upon the intention of wishing good towards ourselves and other. This intention is expressed through the phrases we use – hence the phrases become our anchor. If feelings of love, warmth, kindness and friendliness arise in your mind body, connect to them, allowing them to grow as you repeat the phrases. What can help is to focus on your heart area, or even to use some crystals (e.g. rose quartz).
Now dedicate loving kindness to your baby. Repeat the same phrases out loud, fully focusing on your baby, aiming to convey these beautiful feeling of love, care and devotion. You can repeat the phrases several times, until you feel how your baby has soaked in these beautiful vibrations.
May you be safe.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
As a final step, we expand the loving kindness to our wider surroundings, in four easy steps:
- Think of a loved one (other than your baby) – it can be a member of your family, a friend or your pet. Repeat the phrases above and continue to expand on any feeling of warmth and benevolence that might arise.
- Then think of an acquaintance – a colleague, a neighbor, lady at the supermarket… Again repeat the phrases and build upon the feeling.
- Now, think of an “enemy” or a person that did you harm. Connect to the good intention, to the good heart. Remember that more unconscious we are, the more we suffer. Try to find the compassion and forgiveness for that person and send them loving kindness by repeating the phrases above.
- Finally, expand the good intention, expand the loving kindness towards the rest of the world. Finish with following phrases:
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings live with ease.
Take couple of moments to acknowledge the beautiful, benevolent energy field you have created for you and your baby. Store that feeling of loving kindness in your heart and remember it is easily accessible for you at any time, not just during the formal meditation practice. You can always leverage the mom-baby bond to feel the connection more easily and hence tap into that space where we share the loving kindness towards all living beings, as we are all ultimately one.
Unravel Ninja 