Feature: Loving-kindness (Metta) Meditation

Metta is a loving-kindness form of compassion meditation. There are many ways to perform it, but this feature currently focuses on a chanting understanding method. At a high level a lot of the "magic" will boil down to the four following mantras:

1. May I/they be safe
2. May I/they be healthy
3. May I/they be at peace
4. May I/they be happy

The trick to speaking them out correctly is to not only to say them out loud, but to break them apart into what they mean as they are spoken. Effectively, you have to understand that you are truly wishing for that person to be free from that burden or that they will take care of themselves.

If you start to run into issues as you work out this, it is maybe a sign that you should forgive the person who you are having trouble giving metta to. Even if that person is yourself. Generally as you are starting out it is best to choose people you consider loveable as targets for metta.

The method in this feature is based on metta as described in http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/allmetta.pdf This book HEAVILY slants into the Buddhist lens. If you read it, please be prepared to scrape out the wisdom from its casing.

The term "enforce" as used in this feature is a bit of a macro for doing the following things to a mantra:

• speaking it aloud
• breaking apart the ideas into the concepts
• agreeing and accepting them into your heart

Background:

Given no assumption about meditation background
And a willingness to learn
And I am seated or laying down comfortably

Scenario: Nature Walking

As a meditator
In order to help me connect with the environment
Given a short route to walk on
When I walk down the route
Then I should relax and enjoy the scenery
And feel the sensations of the world around me

This is optional
but it helps when you're starting
physical fitness.

Scenario: Giving Metta to Yourself

As a meditator
In order to give metta to others, I must first give it to myself
Given envisioning yourself in your head
And a five minute alarm
When you start to give yourself metta
Then enforce the mantra "May I be safe"
Then enforce the mantra "May I be healthy"
Then enforce the mantra "May I be at peace"
Then enforce the mantra "May I be happy"
And let this metta radiate out of you
Then repeat until the alarm goes off

Adjust any numbers as needed, of course; these numbers are suggestions.

This is done for three basic reasons:

1. Setting yourself right. You can't love others if you can't love yourself
2. Understanding metta. You can't understand giving metta if you never experience it for yourself
3. It's a good warmup for loving others

Scenario: Negative Harmonic Affirmations for Metta Mantras to Self

As a meditator
In order to figuratively increase perception of metta
When you start to give yourself metta
Then enforce the mantra "May I be safe"
And empty your thoughts of compassion for yourself
Then enforce the mantra "May I be healthy"
And empty your mind of friendliness for yourself
Then enforce the mantra "May I be at peace"
And empty your heart of empathy for yourself
Then enforce the mantra "May I be happy"
And let this metta radiate out of you

This is optional, I find it helpful on really bad days. The general idea is that your mind should be filled with the opposite of what the mantra suggests. IE: danger -> compassion, mental suffering -> friendliness, etc. The difference between what is spoken, felt and thought serves as a harmony of sorts. It can be very powerful.

Scenario: Giving Metta to Someone Else

As a meditator
In order to give metta to someone else
Given envisioning that person in your head
And aspects about them
And a ten minute alarm
When you start to give them metta
Then enforce the mantra "May they be safe"
Then enforce the mantra "May they be healthy"
Then enforce the mantra "May they be at peace"
Then enforce the mantra "May they be happy"
And let this metta radiate out of you
Then repeat until the alarm goes off

Increase the session length with practice.

Scenario: Affirmations for Metta Mantras to Others

As a meditator
In order to figuratively increase perception of metta
When you start to give them metta
Then enforce the mantra "May they be safe"
And fill your thoughts with compassion for them
Then enforce the mantra "May they be healthy"
And fill your mind with friendliness for them
Then enforce the mantra "May they be at peace"
And fill your heart with empathy for them
Then enforce the mantra "May they be happy"
And let this metta radiate out of you

Scenario: Giving Metta to All Beings

As a meditator
In order to give metta to all beings
Given envisioning all beings
And aspects about them
And a ten minute alarm
When you start to give them metta
Then enforce the mantra "May all beings be safe"
Then enforce the mantra "May all beings be healthy"
Then enforce the mantra "May all beings be at peace"
Then enforce the mantra "May all beings be happy"
And let this metta radiate out of you
Then repeat until the alarm goes off

Increase the session length with practice.