Recently, I’ve found comfort in Metta Bhavana – the Buddhist meditation practice of Loving Kindness.
Metta meditation strengthens our qualities of kindness, caring, generosity, warmth, and friendliness towards others and – equally as important – towards ourselves. In our world today, with so much conflict, I consider this essential.
Here is a 10-minute guided version of the meditation for you to follow along with. Below you’ll find instructions for the full meditation.
I hope you use it to good health!
May all sentient beings be free from suffering.
Metta Bhavana – Loving Kindness Meditation
Two minute introduction explaining the full meditation
Ten minute guided Metta Bhavana meditation
Written Instructions
Set yourself up for meditation:
- Take a comfortable seat.
- Relax and soften breath.
- Bring your attention to the center of your chest.
- Allow this area to soften.
- Breath should be smooth and natural.
Focus on the following in this order:
- Person who is easy for you to feel loving kindness towards
- Person who is neutral to you – someone you may see each week but do not know even by name (store clerk, person who sells you coffee at your daily coffee shop, etc)
- Person who is challenging for you – you may have a current conflict with this relationship or this person may be from the past
- Yourself
- All Sentient Beings
Then use the following phrases as well wishes for all of the above:
- May you (can insert name of person here or just say you) be Happy?
- May you be Healthy.
- May you be Free from Suffering.
- May you be at Peace.
When you are doing the phrases for yourself insert “I” for you or the person’s name.
Take your time with the above phrases as you say them. Thinking of the person and feeling the truth of the statement as a sincere wish and blessing for the person. If you find it difficult to generate care and kindness in yourself, you can change the order of who you focus on by saying the phrases for yourself first. Or to shorten the practice as I did in my recording, just say the phrases for yourself and then for all beings.