Metta Meditation… what is it?
Siddartha Gautama, otherwise known as Buddha, lived during the 5th century B.C. Although that was over 2,500 years ago, many of his teachings survive until today and have even made their way to the western world.
Take, for example, metta meditation. This tradition was taught by Buddha while he lived and is still practiced by Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. To have that kind of longevity, there must be something to it, right?
Today you’re going to learn what it is, its top 3 benefits, and how to get started.
WHAT IS METTA MEDITATION?
“Metta” is a word from the ancient Pali language that’s still spoken in northern India. It translates to positive energy and kindness toward others. That’s why metta meditation is often referred to as “loving-kindness” meditation.
Loving kindness meditation is a specific form of meditation practice that was taught by Buddha thousands of years ago. Today, the many different Buddhist traditions have different approaches to metta meditation. The one thing these approaches all share in common is the goal of cultivating kindness and positive energy toward all other beings.
HE TOP 3 REASONS TO PRACTICE METTA MEDITATION.
There are more benefits to loving kindness than I can fit in this introduction. Instead, I’ve narrowed it down to the 3 most important benefits and detailed them below.
1. Increased Positive Emotions And Decreased Negative Emotions
One recent study tracked the emotional well-being of individuals who practiced loving kindness meditation for seven weeks. In those 7 weeks, participants reported increased positive emotions such as love, joy, gratitude, hope, amusement, contentment, pride, and awe. At the same time, depressive symptoms and even illness symptoms decreased.
2. More Self-compassion
Metta mediation starts by focusing loving kindness and positive energy toward yourself and that in turn helps you develop self-compassion. A 2014 study demonstrated this benefit: participants became less critical toward themselves after practicing metta meditation.
3. Better physiological health
Loving kindness meditations can also have an impact on your physiological health. One study found that metta meditation reduced chronic low back pain and physiological distress in randomized patients. Another study had similar results for patients suffering from frequent migraines. A number of other studies have shown that metta meditation improves longevity, increases gray matter volume, and increases respiratory sinus arrythmia.
HOW TO PRACTICE METTA MEDITATION
Begin your metta meditation by finding a comfortable seated position. Spend a few minutes connecting with your breath and focusing on being present.
The main technique employed in metta meditation is the silent repetition of certain phrases. Some of the most commonly used phrases are:
- May I be happy
- May I be well
- May I be healthy
- May I be safe
- May I be peaceful
- May I be at ease
The meditation begins with yourself (“I”), and then gradually moves outward to include others (“you”):
- May you be happy
- May you be well
- May you be healthy
- May you be safe
- May you be peaceful
- May you be at ease
Choose a variation of the above phrases that you really connect to and repeat them with mindfulness. That is, you should hold each phrase in your heart and allow yourself to feel the outpouring of love and kindness.
MORE POWERFUL MEDITATIONS
Metta meditation is an ancient and powerful form of meditation. Otherwise known as loving kindness, it increases the compassion you have toward yourself and others. However, it only holds that power when practiced consistently and mindfully.
If you’re looking for some help with your meditation practice, I’ve got plenty of videos to help you get started. Visit and subscribe to my YouTube channel for some meditation freebies you don’t want to miss.
