A How-To Guide to the Loving Kindness Meditation
Loving Kindness Meditation or Metta as it is called in the Pali language is unconditional, inclusive love, a love with wisdom. This is a meditation of care, concern, tenderness, loving kindness, friendship – a feeling of warmth for oneself and others. The practice is the softening of the mind and heart, an opening to deeper and deeper levels of the feeling of kindness, of pure love. It comes out of no obligation but from a selfless place.
Take a very comfortable posture. One of the aims of the meditation is to feel good, so make your posture relaxed and comfortable.
Begin to focus around your heart center. Breathe in and out from that area and begin generating this kind feeling toward yourself. Continue to breathe in and out and use either the following traditional phrases, the phrases in the image below, or write your own.
May I be happy.
May I be at peace.
May I live with ease.
May I be free from suffering.
Next, move to a person who most invites the feeling of pure unconditional loving kindness. The first person is usually someone we consider a mentor, a benefactor, or an elder. Repeat the loving kindness phrases to them.
Now move to neutral person, someone for whom you feel neither a strong like nor dislike. As you repeat the phrases, allow yourself to feel tender, loving care for their welfare.
Then move onto someone you have difficulty with. Let the phrases spread through your whole body, mind, and heart.
After the difficult person, direct loving kindness out to all people. Stay in touch with that ember of warm, tender, loving kindness at the center of your being.
