“Everything in the universe is within you.
Ask yourself everything. ”
Rumi
“Metta Bhavana” is a fundamental practice in Buddhist meditation and very powerful. From the ancient Pali language, Indo-Aryan, Metta translates as “loving-kindness.” The essence of the word can be thought, in English terms, as kindness, goodwill, kindness, close mental union, and having an active interest in the welfare of others.
Like inside, so outside
Not long ago, I was feeling very lost. Lost in the sense that I felt quite unknown to myself and disconnected from the world around me. I spent a few months stumbling around in this dull and hazy state of mind, not knowing if I would ever be able to shake myself, but hoping to God that somehow I would. I felt bad and, consequently, I behaved badly, clinging to any means to feel better; temporary measures. I was frustrated, sad and helpless.
Coming out of this exhausted state began when one day I realized: “It’s been a long time since I’ve been connected. Spiritually connected. What I feel is a sense of separation from my world!”
In truth, we never separate from our world, except in our mind. By the time the haze begins to dissipate and things become clearer, we can see that everything has been working in our favor all along. The problem is always in our thoughts and where we focus our attention. There is no shame in getting lost, but there is much joy in being clear again.
The practice of Metta Meditaton reinforces your most authentic and powerful place in the world, as well as your intrinsic connection to all other beings (humans and everything else). It reinforces the same truths that ancient Buddhist teachers have always known and that modern science is now seriously proving. There is a god, a mind and we are … that means you too.
Through your thoughts, you can invoke all the loving-kindness in the world to come to you and it will gladly come. Then when you have many, you can use your mind to send all this loving-kindness back to the world. It is a wonderful and very powerful practice.
Meditation guide
Metta practice involves getting comfortable and quieting your mind, and then gently calling yourself loving-kindness. This can be done by thinking of the following sentences (or a similar variation that seems appropriate to you):
Can I be enveloped in loving-kindness?
I can be alright
Can I be at peace?
I can be happy
After taking a few minutes to sit down with it, when you feel ready, you can send your thoughts of loving-kindness out into the world. Using the same phrases, starting with those closest to you, then expanding to all, to all beings. Call into your mind an image of someone for whom you feel great and easy affection and send the thoughts:
May you be wrapped in loving-kindness
Be fine
May you be in peace
May you be happy
Repeat this process for someone you know who is emotionally neutral to you (you don’t have particularly positive or negative feelings towards this person).
Then (and this is the most challenging, but very important part) choose someone who you perceive is causing difficulties in your life and send them these same thoughts of well-being.
Finally, imagine all people in the world, from all corners of the earth, from all walks of life, completely inclusive, no matter what their condition, and send thoughts of well-being to everyone. You want all human beings to be well, to have peace, to have joy.
Never judge yourself for having difficulties with the practice, as sometimes it will be a much easier and more authentic feeling than others. But if you practice it very gently, you will see that your world begins to open up, the haze begins to dissipate, and your power in the world (which is always present) will become more and more obvious. You will notice that your outward actions begin to reflect this higher state of mind, creating love and sweetness in situations where there might otherwise have been frustration or hostility.
There is a god? Yes, and you are!
Give it a try and let me know what you think and how you feel. What are your experiences with Metta meditation?