The Buddhist Metta Prayer or Prayer for Loving Kindness is a great tool for setting your head on straight for the week.  In every work or volunteer situation we are in service.  In our homes with our families or even our pets, we are in service.  All we do to help one another, to lift each other’s spirits, is in service to the hearts of all people and hence is in service to the heart of the planet.

The first step of practicing compassion or loving kindness is to practice  compassion toward ourselves.

By sending compassion and loving kindness outward toward all beings we include ourselves and can in turn receive the benefits. First you, then me.

Try this prayer on if you like:

“May all beings, all breathing things, all creatures, all humans, all noble ones, all worldlings, all devas,  all those in the four woeful planes

Be free from enmity and dangers, 

Be free from mental suffering,

Be free from physical suffering,

As far as the highest plane of existence to as far down as the lowest plane in the entire universe.

May they take care of themsleves happily.

May whatever they have gained not be lost.”

~paraphrased from Buddhanet.net