< shift/library / mindfulness

Loving-Kindness (Metta) Meditation

mindfulness · medium · 15-20 minutes daily

What is Loving-Kindness (Metta) Meditation?

A practice of directing feelings of warmth and goodwill sequentially toward yourself, loved ones, neutral people, difficult people, and all beings. Increases compassion and positive social emotions.

Is there evidence for it?

EVIDENCEstrong

How do you do Loving-Kindness (Metta) Meditation?

  1. 1.Sit comfortably for 15-20 minutes in a quiet place with eyes closed
  2. 2.Begin by directing loving phrases toward yourself: 'May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I be safe.'
  3. 3.Extend the same phrases to someone you love, then a neutral person, then a difficult person
  4. 4.Finally, extend to all beings everywhere: 'May all beings be happy and free from suffering'
  5. 5.Practice regularly — research shows positive effects compound with consistency

How long does it take?

15-20 minutes daily.

Is it hard to start?

medium.

PRACTICE ITSelf-kindness — 5 minute guided meditationFree guided audio, no signup, nothing to install. From Neuro Atelier, our meditation studio.
Source: Buddhist metta tradition (2500+ years). Meta-analysis of 22 studies demonstrated increased compassion toward self and others. Barbara Fredrickson's research: LKM increases positive emotions and social connectedness.
compassion · empathy · positive-emotions · social-connection · self-compassion · buddhist
> find what fits you

Related in mindfulness

Five-Minute JournalA structured morning and evening journaling practice with specific prompts: gratitude, daily intentions, and...Mandala Creation (Art as Meditation)The practice of creating circular, symmetrical designs as a form of meditation, used by Tibetan Buddhists for...Micro-Meditation (60-Second Reset)You don't need 20 minutes to meditate. Take 60 seconds: close your eyes, take 3 deep breaths, scan your body...Guided MeditationMeditation led by a teacher's voice (in-person or recorded) that directs your attention through...Kaizen (Continuous Small Improvement)The Japanese philosophy that significant positive change comes from the cumulative effect of many small...Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)Structured 8-week program combining meditation, body awareness, and yoga to reduce stress. Proven effective...

> everything in mindfulness

This is one entry from the library Shift matches against. It is general information, not advice about you, and nothing on this page came from anyone's conversation.