photo from Pinterest
As I so frequently recommend saying the Metta Prayer. This blog post now has all the essential information. Saying it daily over time, can have surprising results. It’s an excellent practise to have as a resource for practising self love, repairing relationships, balancing karma and sharing your love with the whole of the earth and all living beings.
If I’ve recommended this prayer to you to practise self-love, please follow the first stage only. If I’ve recommended it to you to clear karma follow the second stage using their name then the pronoun he/she or they as specific to your situation.
If you are using it to repair a relationship(s) perhaps because you can’t talk to the person in real life, if a situation that feels out of your hands and you have no control, put the name of the person or persons in question into the prayer. You may be surprised what happens if you say it daily for 21 days, weeks or months.
Of course, if you wish to do the prayer as it was originally intended do all the stages: and share your love with yourself, another and all living beings.
Definition Of Metta
Metta prayer, also known as loving-kindness meditation, is an ancient Buddhist practice of cultivating love and kindness. It is a type of meditation that focuses on generating positive intentions towards oneself and others. The word “metta” comes from the Pali word for loving kindness. This practice can be used to cultivate compassion and promote peace within oneself and the world around us.
The purpose of metta prayer is to cultivate a state of deep inner peace by focusing on our own joy as well as the joy of others. As we practice this meditation, we are able to cultivate feelings of acceptance, love, and understanding for ourselves and all other sentient beings in the universe.
The calming effects of the metta prayer may also help alleviate anxiety and depression because it encourages positive emotions such as joy and contentment, which can lead to improved overall well-being. Additionally, by focusing on sending positive vibes out into the world, you may find yourself in a more peaceful state of mind.
The metta prayer can be a powerful tool for cultivating inner peace and self-love. With regular practice, individuals may find their physical and mental health improved as they experience more joy, calmness, and connection with themselves and others.
The goal is to create an atmosphere where we can experience unconditional love for ourselves and those around us. By cultivating these feelings, we are able to live a life filled with contentment and peace.
How To Do It
The original practise is in three stages:
1) developing loving-kindness for oneself.
2) for loved ones.
3) for all living beings.
- The first step in practicing metta meditation is to sit comfortably in a quiet space with your eyes closed. Begin by focusing your attention on your breath and allow yourself to relax at the moment. Once you feel relaxed and present in the current moment, start to silently repeat phrases that express loving kindness towards yourself, such as, “May I be happy” and “May I be filled with peace and joy.” (See below for more phrases). As you focus on these words, allow yourself to direct feelings of warmth and love toward yourself.
- The second step involves directing feelings of love and compassion towards another person or group of people, such as family members or friends. Imagine sending them feelings of acceptance, understanding, patience, support, and appreciation while repeating phrases like “May they be happy” or “May they be filled with peace and joy.” This helps cultivate a sense of connection between us all while furthering our own personal growth.
- Finally, practice expanding these feelings outwardly towards all living beings, including animals and nature itself. Aim to feel more connected with everyone around you while continuing to mentally repeat phrases that express loving kindness, such as “May all beings be happy” or “May all living things be free from suffering.”
The Metta Prayer Of Loving Kindness
(Remember to intuit your own phrases too).
May I be well
May I be happy
May I be at peace
May I be safe
May I be held in the arms of compassion
May I live in trust
May I be free from suffering
May I never be separated from those I love
May I walk steadily on uneven ground
May I gain inner joy
May my mind be quiet.
May I find true refuge
For Another:
May [insert name] be happy
May [she/he/ insert name] be well
May [she/he/ insert name] be held in the arms of compassion
May [she/he/ insert name] live in trust
May [she/he/ insert name] be safe
May [she/he/ insert name] be at peace
May [she/he/ insert name] be free from suffering
May [she/he/ insert name] never be separated from those I love
May [she/he/ insert name] walk steadily on uneven ground
May [she/he/ insert name] gain inner joy
May [her/his/ insert name] mind be quiet.
May [she/he/ insert name] find true refuge
For all beings:
May all beings be happy
May all beings be well
May all beings be held in the arms of compassion
May all beings live in trust
May all beings be safe
May all beings be at peace
May all beings be free from suffering
May all beings never be separated from those they love
May all beings walk steadily on uneven ground
May all beings gain inner joy
May all beings minds be quiet.
May all beings find true refuge.
photo from Pinterest
NOTES:
inspired by this article: https://www.lionsroar.com/metta-meditation-guide/
I’ve adapted the original Metta prayer for practising self love, repairing relationships and balancing karma.
Tune in to your guidance and intuit more words appropriate to your specific situation. If you wish create your own altar/ritual. If you are using it to clear karma spend at least 10 minutes every morning until you feel that its complete. Doing this practise means you are making amends for the karma accrued, so you don’t have to suffer through it in this lifetime.
If the situation was in this lifetime the feelings may be stronger. If the situation is from a past life try and tune in as best you can. There will usually be parallels in this life to the past situation.
https://www.lionsroar.com/metta-meditation-guide/