19/06/2024
Loving Kindness meditation, or metta bhavana, comes from the Buddhist tradition and is a practice of cultivating love. I think it's such a special practice.
We often assume that kindness involves an outward action towards others. But, compassion to others can only exist if we can display compassion and kindness towards ourselves and it is from this self compassion that we can extend the same kindness to others. There's different techniques that can be used to channel loving kindness and the one I often use is as follows;
Find a comfortable position, somewhere you can relax. Sometimes it's helpful to focus on your breath first, slow inhales and exhales and mindful awareness of any arising feelings or sensations, without judgement. Then allow your attention to focus on you, and say to yourself, in your minds eye:
May I be safe,
May I be happy,
May I be loved,
May I live with ease.
And then direct love and compassion to yourself, to your own heart. Maybe a visualisation of a beam of light and love helps. Maybe it's about the feeling of repeating the words to yourself and opening yourself to receive those words with compassion.
The second person is someone you love and feel positively about. It could be a friend, a family member, a partner. Take a moment to bring them to mind, perhaps visualise them and then repeat the above to them 'May you be safe...'
Then we move to the next person. This is usually someone you feel neutral about. You know them, but not well. There tends to be no strong feelings there towards them. Again, bring them to mind, perhaps visualise them and repeat the above, 'Mat you be safe...'
The next person is usually someone you feel negatively about. It may be someone who has hurt or angered you. Although you may not want to, take a moment to bring them to mind and repeat the above, 'May you be safe...'
From there you can direct love and kindness outwards to the world and humanity 'May all beings be safe, happy, loved, live with ease.'
Much love xNx
