The Practice of Metta
Have you ever felt inept to ease another’s suffering? Or have you even had conflict with someone you care about, but in your heart really do wish the best for them despite the distance that divides you?
Yep, me too.
It can be a helpless feeling. However, there is something you can do. It is called practicing Metta.
Metta is the embodiment of compassion, empathy, friendliness, consideration, kindness, and generosity. Metta is an attitude of recognizing that all sentient beings (that is, all beings that are capable of feeling), can feel good or feel bad, and that all, given the choice, will choose the former over the latter.
Metta is the desire that we wish others well, or at least the ones we’re currently thinking about or in contact with.
Estranged from a friend/family member? Rather than marinating in your pain/resentment, or stewing in feelings of self-righteousness, give Metta a try and direct loving kindness towards them. We have no control over others’ thoughts and behaviours, but we do have control over our own responses. Feeling anger and resentment towards others hurts US.
Metta is recognizing our shared humanity – a sharing of a common aspiration to find fulfillment and escape suffering.
Metta is a willingness to consider the perspective of another – to suspend judgments as we have not walked a mile in another’s shoes.
Metta is the most fulfilling emotional state that we can know. It’s the fulfillment of the emotional development of every being.
The practice of Metta can help cultivate a kinder, gentler way of being. Try practicing Metta towards yourself first, and then expand your practice towards others.
*To practice Metta, take a very comfortable posture. One of the aims in this meditation is to feel good, so make your posture relaxed and comfortable. Begin to focus around the solar plexus, your chest area, your “heart center”. Breathe in and out from that area, as if you are breathing from the heart center and as if all experience is happening from there. Anchor your mindfulness only on the sensations at your heart center.
Breathing in and out from the heart center, begin by generating this kind feeling toward yourself. Feel any areas of mental blockage or numbness, self-judgment, self-hatred. Then drop beneath that to the place where we care for ourselves, where we want strength and health and safety for ourselves.
Continuing to breathe in and out, use either these traditional phrases or ones you choose yourself. Say or think them several times.
May I be free from inner and outer harm and danger. May I be safe and protected.
May I be free of mental suffering or distress.
May I be happy.
May I be free of physical pain and suffering.
May I be healthy and strong.
May I be able to live in this world happily, peacefully, joyfully, with ease.
*Source: http://www.contemplativemind.org/practices/tree/loving-kindness
~Christine
