Loving-kindness meditation (a.k.a Metta meditation) is one such practice that has changed millions of lives looking for tranquillity, compassion and a stronger bond with oneself & others. It promotes love and compassion.
This loving-kindness guided meditation is a little over 10 minutes long, and it was created by a meditation coach and former Buddhist monk. It is recorded in English. You can find samples here.
How to access our loving-kindness guided meditation?
You can buy this guided meditation for $10 via Stripe.
Loving-Kindness Guided Meditation
$10.00
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The Origins
Loving-kindness meditation, also known as “Metta Bhavana” in Pali, is a method of meditation from Buddhism.
Originating from the teachings of the Buddha Gautama, which strongly emphasized compassion for all beings. The word “metta” translates as “unconditional love and loving-kindness.”
Start your meditation by focusing some of your loving thoughts on yourself.
Compassion is key because it provides the soil for truly being nice to others.
It then slowly grew to encompass the people we love, our friends, strangers, and even people we are in conflict with. In the end, that way of regarding oneself spreads out from oneself to all beings.
The simplicity and depth of practicing loving-kindness meditation. As we repeat the words to ourselves – as if within, phrases like, May I be happy, may I be healthy, may I be safe, may I live with ease – as we think them, we begin to rewire our brain to compassion for ourselves.
The Science
Recently, the research in this area has been of greater interest to the scientific community. And there are many studies out there that have shown its influence on our mental and physical health.
For instance, loving-kindness meditation was studied by Barbara Fredrickson of The University of North Carolina. The results show increased positive emotions, interpersonal closeness, and life satisfaction when done routinely.
The activation of the reward and empathy centers of the brain is one of the most important mechanisms responsible for these gains.
Functional MRI scans reveal that loving-kindness meditation practices activate parts of the brain involved in emotion regulation, empathy and the processing of positive emotions.
This increased activity both increases our skills in social connection and protects us from the negative effects of stress and adversity.
Other research also found that loving-kindness meditation brought about reductions in symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Veterans in a study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress also had a significant decrease in symptoms of PTSD and an increase in positive emotions after an intervention using this form of meditation.
Practical Steps
Some steps you can take to start right away:
#1 Pick a quiet, comfortable spot where you won’t be interrupted. Whether that be a quiet place in your home or a quiet outdoor spot.
#2 Sit in a comfortable position (it can be a cushion on the floor, a chair, etc.). Sit with a straight back, not too stiff and with an upright but relaxed position.
#3 First and foremost, begin with sending so much loving-kindness to yourself. As you do so, quietly say words over and over in your head:
May I be happy. May I be well. May I be safe. May I be peaceful and at ease.
#4 Once you sense a wellspring of compassion for yourself, start to widen these wishes to your friends and family. Visualize their faces and repeat:
May you be happy. May you be well. May you be safe. May you be peaceful and at ease.
#5 Do your loving-kindness thing to others, e.g., strangers you cross paths with every now and again but have no emotional attachment to. Send the same phrases back to them in the same spirit of goodwill.
#6 Now, this one is a bit of a kicker – but that makes it all the more important for making this list. Send loving-kindness to people with whom you have conflicts or difficulties. This does not excuse harmful actions or inactions but simply means you hope they find happiness and peace.
#7 Lastly wish that same loving-kindness to all beings. Imagine the whole world being bathed in a loving light and whisper the words, “May all beings be happy. May all beings be healthy. May all beings be safe. “May all beings be at ease.
Tip – Consistency is key. I recommend trying to do this meditation every day, if possible, a few minutes on a daily base. In the long term, there will probably be an underlying change in your thoughts and behaviors toward others.
Common Challenges
#1 If you are really feeling undeserving of love, or being particularly tough on yourself, sending loving-kindness to you can be difficult. Take baby steps and start small. Self-compassion is not about being perfect or doing well but about acknowledging our inherent worth and treating ourselves with the same gentleness and care that we would offer to a dear friend.
#2 It is not always easy to love the ones who have hurt you. Approach this step gradually. Start with those you have minor disagreements with and work your way up to the toxic relationships. For you to understand that this is not any support for wicked actions but a technique to alleviate the crushed emotions.
#3 Falling into dreamland: it happened to each and every one of us during our practice of meditation. If this occurs, redirect your attention to the present moment.
#4 Loving-kindness meditation can bring a lot of feelings. Be kind to yourself and give yourself a breather if it’s overwhelming.
#5 Loving-kindness meditation is something you can practice for years, and it feels like you’re not getting anywhere. Just keep at it!
#6 Finding the time to meditate can be hard as we all have busy schedules. Start from just a few minutes a day and gradually work your way up.
I’m Bulgarea Candin Stefan and I have started Spiritual Whirlwinds to pass my learnings from my spiritual journey. Spiritualwhirlwinds.com provides a space of spiritual awakening with guided meditations, e-books, mantras, and pendulum readings.
