Loving kindness meditation or Metta Bhavana meditation

Loving kindness or Metta Bhavana meditation

Loving kindness meditation, compassion, spiritual, spirituality, mindfulness, happiness, generosity, wellbeing — Loving kindness Metta meditation infographic

This method however is just one of the three ways to practice which will achieve loving kindness in the heart. Reflecting and auditory are the other two methods used to create the feeling of loving kindness. Reflect on the positive qualities of yourself or a loved one will ensure loving kindness to flourish with in the heart. Using a mantra is the auditory approach and an example could simple be the words loving kindness.

The First thing we need to do is find the love from within ourselves. Now I understand that may sound a little scary to some. Visualisation is a great way to achieve love inside, we all have something we love, something that will bring that feeling back when you start to think deeply enough about it. For me this is my adopted stray dog Marley and the crazy fun things he gets up to. If your still finding difficulty thinking of something that your really love this much, then try hitting this link 7 wonders of life, it will help you find something wonderful in your life to feel that loving kindness and to help with the practice. Now that we have our object of focus, it time to relax.

Loving kindness Meditation, mindfulness, spirituality, spiritual, wellbeing, happiness, compassion — Loving kindness infographic

Let’s start by calmly watch your breathing, don’t disturb your breathing, just let it be natural. Breathing in, be aware your breathing, breathing out, be aware your breathing out. Count one.

This is a great link to learn how to practice Breath Meditation. Relax and do this for a count of ten.
Now bring your object of love to the forefront of your mind and begin to feel the love you have. really start to explore that feeling, the feeling of love. Don’t worry if you feel a little resistance at first, be kind to yourself and be patient. Try to find where the feeling is coming from, do you notice how the feeling grows the more you explore it. Again don’t panic if you feel resistance to this, it is all ok, it just means a little more patience and kindness towards yourself is needed. Now feel that love start to consume you, feel it’s warmth, is your smile hurting you cheeks yet.

If you are having trouble visualising, please still use loving kindness with yourself, this is not going to be easy for some. Tell yourself it’s ok we can have another go later, always be patient and kind towards yourself and even that is practicing loving kindness.

Loving kindness informative graphic

Once we have the feeling of love flowing within ourselves, it’s time to send out our love to others. We now use a mantra with our loving kindness, to truly send out our positive vibration to the chosen person. First we start with ourselves. Repeat this ten times to yourself, or out loud that’s entirely up to you.

May I be happy

May I be free from metal suffering and distress

May I be free of physical pain and suffering

May I be peaceful and at ease

Now we are going to give that love from our heart, that loving kindness to someone other than ourselves.

The Four Types of Persons to develop loving-kindness towards are

A respected, beloved person – such as a spiritual teacher
A dearly beloved – which could be a close family member or friend
A neutral person – somebody you know, but have no special feelings towards, e.g a person who serves you in a shop

A hostile person – someone you may be having difficulty with

Starting with yourself, then systematically sending loving-kindness from person to person in the above order will have the effect of breaking down the barriers between the four types of people and yourself. This will have the effect of breaking down the divisions within your own mind, the source of much of the conflict we experience

May (insert name) be happy

May (insert name) be free from suffering and distress

May (insert name) be free of physical pain and suffering

May (insert name) be peaceful and at ease

Loving kindness graphic

If you find your mind wanders or you notice your loving kindness looses it ferocity, at this point always be kind and patient with yourself, slowly return to the original object of focus, take a few deep breaths and start again. once you have established the feeling again in your heart, continue with the mantra.

For a more in depth analysis of loving kindness and it benefits click hear.

Words of wisdom

Words of wisdom

Quotes of love

Joseph Campbell 1904 – 1987

An American professor of mythology and religion, and celebrated author all of which delve into the human condition of experience. Born in New York into an Irish catholic middle class family, he excelled at academia from an early age later going on to receive a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters of Arts. After spending five years working, studying and living in Europe, Campbell came away spiritually awakened to the philosophies of the Indian sub continent, Hinduism and the ancient language of Sanskrit.Soon after returning to the United States he took up the position of professor at the Sarah Lawrence College in literature. In 1938 he married a previous student of dance and stayed teaching for 38 years and in that time produced some of the greatest works on the human experience.

Nikki Giovanni 1943 – present day

An celebrated African American poet, writer, commentator, activist and educator. One of the worlds most loved and well known African American poet, winning numerous awards for her poetry recording and her non fiction essays and poetry anthologies. Born in Tennessee and educated in the Austin High School, still in the area, then later accepted, at an early age due to excellence, into Fisk university in Nashville, where she graduated with a Bachelors Arts history degree

Nikki lost her grandmother soon after graduation, Giovanni would turn to writing as a solace and comfort, beginning a passion and love affaire ever since, it is from this period that she first privately published “Black feeling Black talk”. Nikki has been awarded the Rosa Parks award, the NAACP image award, Langston Hughes Medal, been nominated for a Grammy award, has twenty honorary doctorates and has been selected by Oprah Winfrey as one of her 25 living legends.

LAO TZU 601BC – unknown

LAO TZU was an ancient Chinese philosopher and writer having a great influence on t he shape Buddhism took across China and into Japan. LAO TZU literally translates as old master from the Chinese symbols and is credited with writing the TAO TE Ching and being the founder of the philosophical religion of Taoism.

There is a lot of mystery and confusion surrounding the very life of LAO TZU and even his death is unknown as it is believed he travelled west to live as a hermit in around 531BC aged 70. According to the traditional accounts of LAO TZU life, LAO worked as a scholar for the archives to the royal court of Zhou, it is believed he met and encountered Confucius, where upon hearing his words changed something in his heart, a search for truth was awakened and slowly the ideas of Taoism came about after hours of contemplative meditation.

It is said LAO TZU spent most of his life roaming the countryside of China teaching the Taoist way to many thousand followers, until he was eventually asked to record his wisdom for the good of the many. The TAO Te Ching is credited to his teaching and vastly complicated,it may take many years before we in the west truly understand it’s full genius.

Even after LAO TZU passing Taoism grew and spread through China, schools of learning were erected and empires all claimed linage direct from LAO TZU himself. As Taoism spread to the furthest shores of China it would cross the water and hit Japan with Zen and Zazen meditation. A colourful character although surrounded in mystery and myth, it is undoubtedly the spread of Taoism and it far reaching effects that are LAO TZU legacy.

Don Byas 1912 – 1972

Don Byas was an extraordinarily gifted jazz saxophone musician. Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma he was to show exceptional talent from an early age, both his parents were musicians and started there young Don’s training at an early age first teaching classical music, the violin the clarinet and then finally the saxophone, a love affaire grew with his very first sax and was to become part of his life until his death of lung cancer in 1972.

He played with some of the greatest all time swing and jazz musicians of his era and some of the well known big bands at the time. Eddie Barclay, Bill Coleman,Don Redman to name just a few.

Don spent the last 26 years of his life living and working in Europe, touring with his own big ban as well as other great musicians. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in 1997

Sam Keen 1931 – present

American born author and professor of philosophy, best known for his exploits into questions of love, religion, and the human experience. He has produced numerous works of literacy both in and out of print, some of these titles include “To Love &a Be Loved”, “Faces of the Enemy”, which he co-produced into a PBS award winning documentary with the same name, and “The Passionate Life” Sam Keen has also been the subject of a television documentary in the 1990’s and spent 20 years as editor of Psychology Today Magazine. He resides in California with his wife Pratrica de Jong.

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Loving kindness Meditation

loving kindness

In an all too busy world it is easy to overlook loving kindness and it’s benefits. Life today seems to be harder than ever before, our society seems to offer everything we could possible desire yet it is a fact that there are more and more of us struggling with difficult and upsetting emotional states. Depression, anxiety and mental health are this century’s biggest challenges. The practice of loving kindness is just an inherited quality but loving kindness can be learnt and taught and that is what we are about to discover.

Loving kindness infographic

Loving kindness is compassion, happiness, and unconditional love, it isn’t anger or hatred, greed or despair, loving kindness as described by the sacred Buddhist text is the first of the four sublime states, the others are compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity. Wikipedia quotes loving kindness, or Metta, as “the cultivation of benevolence” and the Oxford English Dictionary states loving kindness as “tenderness and consideration towards others”.

Mind Matters, compassion, mindfulness, Metta Bhavana, spiritual happiness, positive thinking, relaxation techniques, personal development through mindfulness, Theravada Buddhism, meditation practice, loving kindness, mindful exercise,

What is loving kindness in Buddhism?

Loving kindness or Metta Bhavana meditation has been used by the Buddhists for over 2500 years, developed to build the characteristics of compassion, equanimity, happiness, joy and wellbeing. The only way to know, is to practice. It is a practice not just for loving kindness to oneself but should be directed out towards every living being, to our greatest loves and to those we may be having difficulty with. Metta Bhavana practiced regularly helps to build our concentration rapidly in meditation practice, enabling us to progress much quicker along the path. The four sublime states that practicing Metta Bhavana ring are called the Brahmavihara and they are compassion, loving kindness, altruistic joy and equanimity.

Quote, love quotes, spirituality, spiritual, compassion, loving kindness, generosity, self help — Lao Tzu quote

Loving kindness meditation benefits

The health benefits of the practice of loving kindness and Metta meditation, have been studied in great number from western scientists in the last 30 years and all can agree that stress levels reduce, depression can be eliminated, anger subsides, a sense of calming and wellbeing arise, blood pressure lowers, gives you a sense of satisfaction and of belonging and will Increases happiness and compassion. There are many other positive side effects with no negative reactions or problems. The mental health benefits are equally impressive, nut this is not some quick fix pill to take this still takes time and practice. So how do we practice

How do you practice Loving kindness?

There are a few methods and ways to practice loving kindness, the method I describe below I find works wonderfully for me. It is one of visualisation, I was a Buddhist monk in Northern Thailand and after many years of meditation practice and guidance I find this is the most suitable way for my western mind. This method however is just one of the three ways to practice which will achieve loving kindness in the heart. Reflecting and auditory are the other two methods used to create the feeling of loving kindness. Reflect on the positive qualities of yourself or a loved one will ensure loving kindness to flourish with in the heart. Using a mantra is the auditory approach and an example could simple be the words loving kindness.

Quote, love quotes, self help, spirituality, spiritual, compassion, loving kindness, compassion — Love quote Herman Hesse

Find a comfortable place somewhere you won’t be disturbed. Now sitting in a comfortable position with a straight spine, gently relax your shoulder and neck muscles and slowly close your eyes. Take a few long deep breaths and feel yourself relaxing. Let’s start by calmly watch your breathing, don’t disturb your breathing, just let it be natural. Breathing in, be aware your breathing, breathing out, be aware your breathing out. Count one. This is a great link to learn how to practice Breath Meditation. Relax and do this for s count of ten.

Now bring your object of love to the forefront of your mind and begin to feel the love you have. really start to explore that feeling, the feeling of love. Don’t worry if you feel a little resistance at first, be kind to yourself and be patient. Try to find where the feeling is coming from, do you notice how the feeling grows the more you explore it. Again don’t panic if you feel resistance to this, it is all ok, it just means a little more patience and kindness towards yourself is needed. Now feel that love start to consume you, feel it’s warmth, is your smile hurting you cheeks yet. If you are having trouble visualising, please still use loving kindness with yourself, this is not going to be easy for some. Tell yourself it’s ok we can have another go later, always be patient and kind towards yourself and even that is practicing loving kindness.

Loving kindness, love, happiness, compassion, generosity, spirituality, spiritual, happiness — Meditating monk

May I be happy

May I be free from metal suffering and distress

May I be free of physical pain and suffering

May I be peaceful and at ease

Now we are going to give that love from our heart, that loving kindness to someone dear to us, this could be a spouse, child or a loved friend. Again repeat ten times.

May (insert name) be happy

May (insert name) be free from suffering and distress

May (insert name) be free of physical pain and suffering

May (insert name) be peaceful and at ease

Love Quotes

Love quote, quotes of love, loving kindness, valentines, valentine, love, compassion, generosity, — Charles Dickens love quotes

Charles Dickens 1812 – 1870

One of England’s greatest literary and social critics creating some of the most loved and well known fictional characters of our time. Born into a family of eight children it was his fathers brief time working as a clerk for the Navy Pay Office that enabled a few years private education for Charles, however Charles’s father was living well above his means and in 1824 was imprisoned in a debtors prison, at the age of twelve Charles was forced to leave school and find employment working a 10hr shift in a warehouse pasting labels, cementing an image that Dickens would recreate so well in future works.

Dickens literacy success began with the publication of the Pickwick Papers and within a few years he had risen to become an internationally celebrated author. For the most part Dickens novels that we know and love today started out as serial publications, mostly monthly, some weekly instalments that pioneered the serial publication that become the Victorian’s standard way of book publication. Because of the serial episode approach, Dickens was able to add flavours and feelings of the time and use the current politics for wit and satire to great effect, developing characters as he went based on his readers reactions. As such, his works become a fascinating insight into Victorian England. His great works of classics fiction include ‘Great Expectations’, ‘Oliver Twist’ and a ‘Tale of Two Cities’ to name but just a few. He is revered by fellow literary artists as one of the all time greats

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Valentines Week Love Quotes

Love quote, love quotes, quotes of Wisdom, spirituality, loving kindness, compassion, spiritual — Pablo Picasso love quote

Pablo Picasso 1881 – 1973

Picasso was a Spanish painter, sculptor, poet, playwright, stage designer and printmaker. He co-founded the Cubist movement an early 20th century avent garde art movement that revolutionised European painting and sculpture. He invented the ‘constructed sculpture’ and was co-inventor of the collage, both similar in there assemblage of different forms of individual elements.

Picasso was born into a middle class family where his father was a painter by trade specialising in naturalistic depictions of birds and wild game. From a very early age it was said Picasso showed an incredible artistic talent, painting seemed to be natural to him. His early adulthood witnessed considerable change in his paintings as he explored different theologies and philosophies and experimenting with different artistic mediums. He is most well known for his surrealism period of the 1920’s and for the amount of works produce, reportedly in the region of 50,000, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints, this great number also comes with a down side and Picasso is the most stolen artist with a recorded 1500 pieces listed missing.

Love quote, love quotes, wisdom, spirituality, spiritual, compassion, loving kindness — Herman Hesse love quote

Herman Hesse 1877 – 1962

Was a German born writer, poet and painter, from his childhood Hesse was a headstrong character testing the will and patience of his parents on many occasion, having a firm upbringing and stern timetables are accredited to turning a wild spirited child into a young man filled with love for music, poetry, literature and the arts.

He was educated in Switzerland and Germany and was to show early signs of excellence, however it was in the beautifully preserved Maulbronn Abbey school, that Hesse started a rebellious streak which involved conflict with his parents, school and his religious beliefs. It wasn’t until a chance work placement at a book store specialising in philosophy, theology and law that Hesse settles and his creative nature flourished. Having access to all those books and information grabbed Hesse’s attention and a passion was born and has influenced all his great classics.

His best known works, all of which explore spirituality, self knowledge and the individuals quest for authenticity, include ‘Siddhartha’, ‘Steppenwolf’ and ‘The Glass Bead Game’ considered by many as one of Germans greatest contributors to literacy. Herman Hesse was awarded the Nobel peace price for literature in 1946.

Love quote, love quotes, wisdom, compassion, loving kindness, positivity, spirituality, spiritual — Eleanor Roosevelt love quote

Eleanor Roosevelt 1884 – 1962

An American diplomat, civil rights activist, writer and political figure serving as First Lady of the United States during her husband Franklin D Roosevelt’s four terms as United States president. A passionate human rights activist that has her the nickname ‘the First Lady of the world’ first coined by president Harry S Truman.

She was born into the prestigious family of Livingston but lost both her parents at a young age. She was educated in both America and London England where it is said the headmistress had an enormous impact on her life. She married Franklin D Roosevelt in 1905 and after her husband had an affaire she became more independent wanting a public life of her own.

Sometimes outspoken always headstrong she redefined the role as First Lady campaigning strongly for civil rights of African and Asian Americans and the World War II refugees. Following he husbands death she would spend the next 17 years in public service becoming the United States very first delegate of the United Nations. Regarded by many as one of the most esteemed women of the world.

Love quote, love quotes, wisdom, spirituality, spiritual, compassion, loving kindness, positivity, happiness — Charles Dickens love quote

Charles Dickens 1812 – 1870

Love quote, love quotes, wisdom, spirituality, spiritual, compassion, loving kindness, generosity, gratitude, compassion — Plato love quote

Plato 428 – 348BC

Plato was a Classical Greek philosopher and founder of the very first institution for higher learning in the western world. He set up and established the ‘Academy’ in Athens a school where Aristotle himself studied for twenty years.

Plato is widely considered one of the forefathers of western philosophy, spirituality and even influencing western religions. His insights and contributions to our modern world cannot be underestimated, his realist solutions to universal problems now known as Platonism one of the many contributions to modern man.

Along with his teacher Socrates and his student Aristotle the three have set the course of human reasoning into overdrive and a golden Age of Enlightenment has followed. We still base some of our deep rooted ethics and philosophies in our lives from this period.

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