Prayer can be a way to distribute love.

Loving Kindness is one translation of the Pali word Metta. It has its roots in Buddhism as a meditation to cultivate an open and loving heart. It directs compassion, health, happiness and peace to ourselves and others.  Buddhist teachers, both Eastern and Western, have similar ways to practice this, and allow for many, many variations of the phrases spoken.

Sharon Salzberg is probably the American Buddhist teacher most associated with Loving Kindness Meditation through her many books including Loving Kindness, 2002.

A Loving-Kindness Meditation for Connection

1. Sit comfortably, or lie down if that’s better for you. You can close your eyes or leave them open. Let your attention settle into your body and start by taking a few deep breaths.

2. Allow your breath to be natural. We’re choosing, as an object of awareness, the silent repetition of certain phrases with ourselves as the first recipient. You can use any variation of the phrases:

May I be safe, be happy, be healthy, live with ease.

Repeat these phrases over and over with enough space and silence to create a rhythm that’s pleasing to you.

3. You don’t have to force a special feeling. Just gather all of your attention behind one phrase at a time. If you find your attention wandering, or you get lost in thought, or you fall asleep, don’t worry about it.

4. See if you can bring to mind someone who we will call a benefactor. Think of someone who has helped you. Maybe they’ve helped you directly, or they’ve helped you get up when you’ve fallen, or maybe you’ve never met them. This is someone who makes you smile. If someone comes to mind, you can bring them here. Visualize them, say their name to yourself, get a feeling for their presence and offer the phrases of loving-kindness to them. Even if the words seem imperfect, that’s fine.
 

May you be safe, be happy, be healthy, live with ease.

All kinds of emotions may arise. You may feel grateful, or you may feel embarrassed. Whatever may come up, see if it can just wash through you as you steady your attention on the repetition of the phrases.

5. Now, have that benefactor figure offer loving-kindness back to you. Put yourself in the position of the recipient as your benefactor offers the phrases to you.

May you be safe, be happy, be healthy, live with ease.

All kinds of emotions may arise. You may feel grateful, or you may feel embarrassed. Whatever may come up, see if it can just wash through you as you steady your attention on the repetition of the phrases.

6. Imagine a friend who’s doing well right now. You can bring them here. Visualize them or say their name to yourself. Get a feeling for their presence and offer the phrases of loving-kindness to them.

7. Now imagine a friend who’s having difficulty. If someone comes to mind, bring them here and offer the phrases of loving-kindness to them.

8. Let’s have a party. Imagine a gathering of friends and family—anyone that comes to mind. Offer loving-kindness to that collective.

May you be safe, be happy, be healthy, live with ease.

9. Then, add all beings everywhere. All people. All creatures. All those in existence. Near and far. Known and unknown.

May all beings be safe, be happy, be healthy, live with ease.

10. When you feel ready, you can open your eyes.

You can also see and listen to Sharon teach this practice on YouTube here. 

Sharon Salzberg is a meditation teacher and New York Times best-selling author and teacher of Buddhist meditation practices in the West. She is the co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, and has been leading meditation retreats around the world for over 40 years. Sharon has been a student of meditation since 1971, training with Buddhist masters in Southeast Asia. She is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and the author of many books including Real Happiness, Lovingkindness, and, most recently, Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World.

The Prayer Chest encourages you to fully appreciate the context of the prayer by exploring more of the prayer maker’s work. If you can, please compensate your teachers by purchasing their books or finding the information to support them on their social media sites.