Metta Meditation
The formal practice of loving-kindness meditation - also known as metta - involves sending a short verse in six directions as you visualize a particular being:
- Yourself
- Benefactor (someone that inspires compassion, human or otherwise)
- Friend or family member
- Neutral person
- Difficult person
- All sentient beings
You can craft your own verse, similar to the one below:
May you be happy, as I wish to be happy.
May you know peace, as I wish to know peace.
May you be free from suffering, as I wish to be free from suffering.
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INTRODUCTION
PRACTICE
Practice Tips
- This practice is not about forcing yourself to feel a particular way, or condoning harmful behavior by another. Instead, it starts a conversation by allowing you to explore how you do feel.
- It is completely acceptable to start with the benefactor and then follow with yourself.
- Do not pick your worst enemy for the “difficult” person - start with someone who is a little challenging. If you find you’re having a hard time sending this person well-wishes, you can either send the well-wishes to yourself, or choose a less challenging person.