Every spiritual practice, one way or another, brings us back to our own good hearts and the love the shines forth from within. We may not join a yoga class because we want to soften our hearts. We may not begin meditating because we want to cultivate goodwill. But in some mysterious bit of spiritual magic, these practices transform us into kinder and more compassionate human beings.
The Buddhist practice of lovingkindness, or metta meditation, offers an explicit pathway to cultivating good heart. In lovingkindness meditation, we call up images of people in our lives and we send wishes for happiness and wellbeing in their direction. We may not know for sure whether these wishes change others, but we very quickly learn that they can change us in profound ways.
In this 19-minute guided practice, we’ll explore a variation of the traditional Buddhist practice of lovingkindness meditation. This contemplation is a little more free-form than is often taught, but I hope it brings a smile to your face nonetheless. We settle into a restful position and reclaim our own good hearts. We rest and breathe and be. And we befriend the world, moment after moment, one heart to another.
Lovingkindness Meditation