Metta
A meditation for focusing on love, in the abstract
- Think of someone who's company you enjoy very much
- A simple, uncomplicated relationship
- What is it you appreciate about them?
- Enumerate the things about them you are grateful for
- Think of the impact they have on your life, the good times
- What are their best qualities? Their most amusing idiosyncrasies?
- Feel the warmth welling up inside of you
- Turn your attention to it, focus on the physical sensations
- This is the feeling of love, it is just as important as the idea
- Reflect on how you want the best for this person
- You hope all their dreams come true
- You wish that they are free of suffering, and when suffering does come that they have the resilience and support to face it
- Imagine their smiling face and feel how happy it makes you
- Repeat this process, cycling through those you care about
- You can repeat people, circle back to them or focus on just one
- Let yourself smile!
- Now ask yourself, what is it that makes this person or these people so special?
- It is that we know them so deeply, that we appreciate the details of what lies beneath the surface of them
- We can extend this love to anyone, if we understand them sufficiently
- Think of someone you have a neutral relationship with, someone who works at your local supermarket, your friendly neighbour
- Realise that you want the best for this person too
- Picture them smiling, let yourself wish that their work-day is stress free
- Now, finally, think of someone you find difficult to be around
- We may never find it within ourselves to truly enjoy this persons company
- But even for this highly irritating human being, we can wish the best
- We wish no harm or suffering upon those we dislike
- I hope they are smiling, surrounded by loved ones somewhere far away from me
- Return to the feeling of warmth in the body, if you've lost focus on it, circle back to someone you care deeply about and find it again
- Imagine the warmth and love inside you slowly expanding and intensifying
- Eventually, it moves beyond the surface of the skin, into the air
- Like a layer of love insulating you, perhaps slightly glowing
- Imagining it growing, and growing
- Include the air, all of us around you, this house, this street, our city... Even the whole planet, or the whole of reality
- Stretch the limits of how far you can push this, imagine how beautiful it would be for everyone on earth to earnestly smile and feel content
- Meditate on this for as long as you can, be aware of the sensations
- Enumerate the people out there who are deserving of our compassion
- The poor, the sick, the oppressed
- Feel how much you care for them, despite your paths never crossing
- And now think of the strangers you dislike
- The close minded, selfish, stubborn, bigoted and hateful
- They too deserve our compassion
- They are humans, with just as much depth of experience as ourselves and our loved ones
- And they are hurting, they act out their suffering on others
- But we love them regardless
- Finally, think of yourself
- You are no different to any of these people, you wish yourself the best in life too
- In your head, think the words "I love myself" and let the idea sink in
- Loving ourselves and loving others, there is no difference
- Two sides of the same coin
- Promise you will be gentler and kinder to yourself
- Now, drop your focus, sit with how you feel
- Freely explore the sensations and thoughts of love that arise without any judgement
- Feel free to explore any of the concepts we've been through, while maintaining awareness of the sensations of love
- Or just sit there and bask
- Keep a gentle smile on your face throughout
Last modified 3yr ago