Your Guide to Loving Kindness Meditation
This is a writing sample from Scripted writer Alicia Jefferson
Your Guide to Loving Kindness Meditation
Have you ever tortured yourself over a simple mistake?
Perhaps it was a gaffe you made at the office, or you made a negative assumption about a loved one that turned out to not be true. Imagine how much easier your life could be if we replaced self-criticism with self-compassion. You do not have to listen to the voice that tells you that you are not good enough.
You can bring more love and compassion into your life by doing a loving kindness meditation. We often go through life being hard on ourselves and others. We expect ourselves to meet impossible standards and we berate ourselves when we don’t meet our goals.
What is it?
Loving-kindness, also known as Metta meditation, is a meditation technique that focuses on allowing love, compassion, and kindness to enter our lives. I’m sure you have had moments where you could have benefited from being compassionate and loving toward yourself or someone else.
Here is an example of when you can use what you experience in loving-kindness meditation to your advantage: you are going through a stressful divorce. You’re furious with your former spouse, and you can’t picture a world where you and they can agree on how to divide your things. It is natural to feel resentful or frustrated in this situation.
However, Metta meditation can help you lovingly navigate this experience. It will be easier to approach your disagreement with a loving perspective because you have decided to focus on compassion instead of anger and bitterness.
Suddenly, the outcome of this battle isn’t something that you hold onto because you can feel content regardless of the outcome, and you’re also able to feel compassion for your former spouse as you go through this transition.
Loving-kindness is a mindfulness technique that can help you find inner peace and practice living your life mindfully (without judgment).
How can you benefit from loving-kindness meditation?
You can reap the benefits of loving-kindness meditation in many areas of your life. A few examples include:
- It can boost your self-esteem. Your thoughts are powerful. When we speak to ourselves in a compassionate, loving way, we’re more likely to feel better about ourselves. Suddenly, the mistakes you make don’t seem as big, and you feel lighter. If you can view yourself through a compassionate lens, it becomes more difficult for critical thoughts to take over your mind.
- You’ll be better at conflict resolution. Whether you find yourself in a conflict with your spouse, your child, or even your boss, you’ll notice that you will find it easier to forgive others. Practicing loving kindness meditation will help you extend loving energy to those around you. It will be easier for you to empathize with others and remember to not judge others too harshly.
- Metta meditation can bring you closer to feeling inner peace. Many people look for happiness or peace in other people. If you find that you struggle with answering questions like these:
- Why am I so broken?
- How can I move on from my childhood trauma?
Loving-kindness meditation can help you answer those questions (spoiler alert: you are not broken; you just need to treat yourself with compassion and kindness).
How do you do it?
Metta meditation can seem intimidating at first. However, I’ve provided some tips to help you get started:
- Pick a comfortable place to sit and set a timer. Make sure that you won’t be interrupted during your session. It can last as long or as short as you want it to.
- Send compassion and kindness throughout your body. Take a moment to center yourself and focus on your breath. You can listen to a guided meditation or you can meditate on your own. If you choose to do it on your own, it may be helpful to use a mantra like this one:
May I be happy and safe
May I be happy in body and mind
May I always walk in peace
- Remember to be kind to yourself while you focus on your breath. Allow yourself to welcome self-compassion, empathy, and gratitude into your life. Try to think of the unconditional love that someone else offers you and send that same love to yourself.
- Take this time to think of someone who could benefit from your compassion and kindness. It does not have to be someone close to you, but that’s a good place to start. You should also think of mentors, students, or even the store clerks that you encounter.
Conclusion
You have an opportunity to choose love and compassion every day. Loving-kindness meditation is a valuable tool that you can use to live life mindfully, with kindness and loving energy in your heart. You’ll find that it is easier to lovingly navigate life when you are kind to yourself and the people that you encounter on your journey.
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