Lovingkindness Meditation
What is Lovingkindness Meditation about ?
"Metta" is a Pali word (or "maitri" in Sanskrit) meaning lovingkindness, benevolence, friendliness, goodwill, close mental union (on same mental wavelength), and active interest in others. The practice of Metta is one of the ten paramitas (perfections) of the Theravada school of Buddhism.
The cultivation of benevolence is a popular form of meditation in Buddhism. In the Theravadan Buddhist tradition, this practice begins with the meditator cultivating benevolence towards themselves, then one's loved ones, friends, teachers, strangers, enemies, and finally towards all sentient beings. In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, this practice is associated with tonglen, whereby one breathes in (receiving) suffering, transforms it in their heart, and breathes out (radiating) happiness. In the practice shared here, we practice Metta on ourselves after all the individuals, just before we extend our well wishes to all beings.
Tonglen is also described in this database.
Audience
Run Through
Make sure there will be no disruptions for the length of the meditation. This can be altered to take anywhere from 5 minutes to more than an hour. (There are entire weeklong retreats dedicated to just this practice!)
Come to a comfortable seated position. Let your spine be erect and free. You can sit on the edge of a chair (not leaning on the back) or sit on a cushion on the floor such that your hips are higher than your knees. The most important thing is to take a position that is comfortable, relaxed, and active.
Let your exhale fall out of you, sighing. Sink into your seat, feeling your weight on your sitting surface. Bring your attention down into your heart area. Tune in. Can you feel your physical heart beating? Take a few breaths here.
Bring your awareness to your own being. Feel what it is like to occupy your body right now. Connecting with all the different parts of you, all of your different emotions and ways of being, the vastness that is you, silently repeat these phrases. Really occupy each wish. Imagine, with all the vibrant specificity and concrete detail you can muster, that each of these is true. Wish this with your whole heart. Visualize that this is already true, right now.
Someone you feel grateful to
Neutral person
Challenging person
Yourself
All Beings
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