Metta
Metta is a Pali word for loving kindness, friendliness, good will, benevolence and an active interest in others. The cultivation of universal loving kindness and compassion is a popular form of Buddhist meditation. By doing this practice, we gradually develop empathy and compassion and get rid of discomfort, pain and tensions. Metta meditation was taught by the Buddha 2600 years ago and is still practised in many Buddhist communities to this day, just as he taught it.
Metta is an active form of meditation where instead of focusing on the breath, we focus on sending benevolent thoughts and wishes out into the world, and we imagine that the people or animals in our minds are touched by our good will.
Metta is an active form of meditation where instead of focusing on the breath, we focus on sending benevolent thoughts and wishes out into the world, and we imagine that the people or animals in our minds are touched by our good will.
1. Sit with your back straight in your regular meditation posture. We're all a little tense just now, so take your awareness into your body and relax your muscles, especially your forehead, your eyes, your mouth and jaw, the muscles in the back of your neck, shoulders, stomach, arms and legs. Take your time, don't hurry.
Set the intention to practise this meditation without judgment and with a healthy dose of affection for yourself and others.
Take a moment to set aside your busy-ness and tune into being present, right here, right now. Connect with your breathing and spend a few minutes focusing on the movement of the breath. Notice the physical sensations that accompany this movement, especially at the level of your heart. As you breathe out, you can imagine a wave of relaxation sweeping downwards through your body, washing all of your tensions down, out of your body, into the earth. And as you breathe in, you can imagine a wave of energy, flowing upwards from the earth into your body, filling every fiber of your being.
2. Cultivating love for yourself.
Just open up to whatever is there in your heart. We've probably all experienced a wide variety of emotions over the last week, perhaps, fear, perhaps, ill will or worries. Please forgive yourself for any negative emotions that have arisen. Stay in touch with your emotions and repeat silently or in your mind:
"May I be well, may I be happy, may I be free from suffering." And you can imagine yourself well and happy or visualize a time when you were really happy and experience that feeling now. Continue to relax. Work patiently with your emotions. "May I be filled with loving kindness. May I feel connected and calm. May I accept myself as I am. May I know the natural joy of being alive." Notice any feelings that arise during the practice but don't invite or reject them. Repeat these words over and over again for several minutes, feeling as though you're wrapped in loving-kindness. Let the feelings come and go naturally, without clinging to or judging them, or judging yourself for having them. Allow yourself to feel the warm-heartedness that accompanies metta meditation. Relax into it.
3. Cultivating love for somebody who is dear to you. Imagine someone you care about or someone you're grateful for. You may imagine your child, best friend, lover, or even a kitten. Keeping that being in mind, send them your benevolence. Stay in touch with your emotions and repeat silently or in your mind:
"May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering." Continue to relax. Work patiently with your emotions. "May you be filled with loving kindness. May you feel connected and calm. May you accept yourself as you are. May you know the natural joy of being alive." Notice any feelings that arise during the practice but don't invite or reject them. Repeat these words over and over again feeling as though you're wrapped in loving-kindness. Let the feelings come and go naturally.
4. Cultivating love for somebody who is "neutral" to you. Imagine someone you don't care about. You may imagine your colleague or your neighbour or somebody else. Keeping that person in mind, send them your benevolence. Stay in touch with your emotions and repeat silently or in your mind:
"May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering. May you be filled with loving kindness. May you feel connected and calm. May you accept yourself as you are. May you know the natural joy of being alive." Notice any feelings that arise during the practice but don't invite or reject them. Repeat these words over and over again feeling as though you're wrapped in loving-kindness. Let the feelings come and go naturally.
5. Cultivating love for somebody who is your "enemy". Imagine someone you don't like or don't appreciate. It could be someone you know personally (the "difficult" person), or someone you know through the media or somebody else. This person made you suffer a lot or made you feel hurt. Keeping that person in mind, send them your benevolence. Stay in touch with your emotions and repeat silently or in your mind:
"May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering. May you be filled with loving kindness. May you feel connected and calm. May you accept yourself as you are. May you know the natural joy of being alive." Notice any feelings that arise during the practice but don't invite or reject them. Repeat these words over and over feeling as though you're wrapped in loving-kindness. Let the feelings come and go naturally, without clinging to or judging them.
6. Cultivating love for all beings. Now, allow your awareness to open out in all directions: yourself, a dear one, a neutral person, and a difficult person, and of all beings – humans and animals – living everywhere in richness, poverty, war, peace, hunger, abundance. "May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering. May you be filled with loving kindness. May you feel connected and calm. May you accept yourself as you are. May you know the natural joy of being alive." Notice any feelings that arise during the practice but don't invite or reject them. Repeat these words over and over again, feeling as though you're wrapped in loving-kindness. Relax into it.
7. Thank yourself for taking the time out of all daily business. It's all for your own health, well-being, awareness and empathy.
Ask yourself: "Have I reached my goals?" How do I feel now?
Now you can try and transfer this experience into your daily life. Breathe in with love and breathe out with love. Keep on going.
Set the intention to practise this meditation without judgment and with a healthy dose of affection for yourself and others.
Take a moment to set aside your busy-ness and tune into being present, right here, right now. Connect with your breathing and spend a few minutes focusing on the movement of the breath. Notice the physical sensations that accompany this movement, especially at the level of your heart. As you breathe out, you can imagine a wave of relaxation sweeping downwards through your body, washing all of your tensions down, out of your body, into the earth. And as you breathe in, you can imagine a wave of energy, flowing upwards from the earth into your body, filling every fiber of your being.
2. Cultivating love for yourself.
Just open up to whatever is there in your heart. We've probably all experienced a wide variety of emotions over the last week, perhaps, fear, perhaps, ill will or worries. Please forgive yourself for any negative emotions that have arisen. Stay in touch with your emotions and repeat silently or in your mind:
"May I be well, may I be happy, may I be free from suffering." And you can imagine yourself well and happy or visualize a time when you were really happy and experience that feeling now. Continue to relax. Work patiently with your emotions. "May I be filled with loving kindness. May I feel connected and calm. May I accept myself as I am. May I know the natural joy of being alive." Notice any feelings that arise during the practice but don't invite or reject them. Repeat these words over and over again for several minutes, feeling as though you're wrapped in loving-kindness. Let the feelings come and go naturally, without clinging to or judging them, or judging yourself for having them. Allow yourself to feel the warm-heartedness that accompanies metta meditation. Relax into it.
3. Cultivating love for somebody who is dear to you. Imagine someone you care about or someone you're grateful for. You may imagine your child, best friend, lover, or even a kitten. Keeping that being in mind, send them your benevolence. Stay in touch with your emotions and repeat silently or in your mind:
"May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering." Continue to relax. Work patiently with your emotions. "May you be filled with loving kindness. May you feel connected and calm. May you accept yourself as you are. May you know the natural joy of being alive." Notice any feelings that arise during the practice but don't invite or reject them. Repeat these words over and over again feeling as though you're wrapped in loving-kindness. Let the feelings come and go naturally.
4. Cultivating love for somebody who is "neutral" to you. Imagine someone you don't care about. You may imagine your colleague or your neighbour or somebody else. Keeping that person in mind, send them your benevolence. Stay in touch with your emotions and repeat silently or in your mind:
"May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering. May you be filled with loving kindness. May you feel connected and calm. May you accept yourself as you are. May you know the natural joy of being alive." Notice any feelings that arise during the practice but don't invite or reject them. Repeat these words over and over again feeling as though you're wrapped in loving-kindness. Let the feelings come and go naturally.
5. Cultivating love for somebody who is your "enemy". Imagine someone you don't like or don't appreciate. It could be someone you know personally (the "difficult" person), or someone you know through the media or somebody else. This person made you suffer a lot or made you feel hurt. Keeping that person in mind, send them your benevolence. Stay in touch with your emotions and repeat silently or in your mind:
"May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering. May you be filled with loving kindness. May you feel connected and calm. May you accept yourself as you are. May you know the natural joy of being alive." Notice any feelings that arise during the practice but don't invite or reject them. Repeat these words over and over feeling as though you're wrapped in loving-kindness. Let the feelings come and go naturally, without clinging to or judging them.
6. Cultivating love for all beings. Now, allow your awareness to open out in all directions: yourself, a dear one, a neutral person, and a difficult person, and of all beings – humans and animals – living everywhere in richness, poverty, war, peace, hunger, abundance. "May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering. May you be filled with loving kindness. May you feel connected and calm. May you accept yourself as you are. May you know the natural joy of being alive." Notice any feelings that arise during the practice but don't invite or reject them. Repeat these words over and over again, feeling as though you're wrapped in loving-kindness. Relax into it.
7. Thank yourself for taking the time out of all daily business. It's all for your own health, well-being, awareness and empathy.
Ask yourself: "Have I reached my goals?" How do I feel now?
Now you can try and transfer this experience into your daily life. Breathe in with love and breathe out with love. Keep on going.
