Systematically envision a series of beings (people or animals) and send them good wishes using phrases like ‘May you be happy, may you be safe.’ This practice is an antidote to fear and can yield psychological, physiological, and behavioral benefits.
Engage with the four ‘divine abodes’ – loving kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), sympathetic joy (mudita), and equanimity (upekka) – as interconnected qualities of the heart. Practicing these in concert helps open the heart and mind, even if not formally practiced individually.
Frame your life with gratitude and actively seek opportunities to help others, whether financially, through volunteering, or by offering your authentic self. This practice helps dissolve the sense of a separate ‘self’ and fosters a spirit of letting go.
Create or customize Metta phrases that deeply resonate with you, rather than strictly adhering to classical ones. This helps you connect with the underlying feeling of goodwill, friendliness, and benevolence, making the practice more meaningful.
Begin your Metta practice by recalling something joyful or humorous to ‘prime the pump’ and reframe your mindset. This makes the practice feel less forced and more accessible, setting a positive tone.
Begin your Metta rotation by visualizing ’easy’ beings like pets or loved ones, then move to yourself, mentors, neutral people, difficult people, and finally all beings. This builds a foundation of warmth before addressing more challenging targets.
Understand that the primary goal of Metta is not necessarily to feel soaring unconditional love, but to cultivate a feeling of non-ill will or non-hatred. This realistic expectation makes the practice more sustainable and less prone to discouragement.
Practice Metta to foster non-separation from others and to stay engaged with the world, advocating for what is needed from a place of non-hatred. This ‘cleaner burning fuel’ can lead to more effective and sustained action without being passive.
Bring to mind suffering beings or situations and connect with the heart’s natural ’twinge’ of wanting them to be well. You can use phrases like ‘May you be free from suffering’ or simply sit with the raw feeling of compassion.
Bring to mind successful or joyful people and wish for their happiness to continue or increase, even if you initially feel jealousy. This practice can be enhanced by rolling into it from Metta and by visualizing their genuine happiness.
Cultivate the capacity to ‘stand in the middle of all of this’ by pausing, taking a few breaths, and acknowledging the present moment reality without immediately strategizing or trying to change it. You can use phrases like ‘Right now, it’s like this’ or the mantra ‘Tatra Majatata’.
Practice equanimity by bearing witness to suffering without feeling shame or guilt for not being able to fix everything. Sometimes, simply acknowledging the reality of a difficult situation is a profound act of presence and acceptance.
Seek opportunities for generosity in everyday interactions, such as engaging in meaningful conversations with strangers or tipping generously. This fosters connection and a pervasive spirit of giving, impacting your own well-being.
Extend generosity to family, partners, and friends by showing more of your heart and offering direct support. This can deepen connections and reduce self-focused behaviors, fostering stronger bonds.
Understand that while mindfulness (insight practice) is important, it is not a complete solution. Integrate other practices like Metta, generosity, and ethical principles for a more holistic and balanced path to well-being.
Approach meditation as a process of ‘messy, marginal improvement over time’ rather than expecting immediate miracles or grand catharsis. This mindset reduces pressure and encourages consistent, sustainable practice.
Engage in practices like service and generosity to help clear and settle the mind, creating helpful conditions that support deeper meditation and insight. These actions contribute to a more receptive state for practice.
If you intensely ‘want’ a specific peak experience in meditation, this desire can become a barrier to its attainment. Instead, cultivate the practice for its own sake and allow what unfolds to happen naturally.
Recognize that meditation is beneficial at every stage, regardless of whether you achieve ultimate goals, as it is ‘good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end.’ The practice itself provides value throughout your journey.
Through mindfulness, develop the capacity to simply ‘be with’ difficult feelings like shame, guilt, or fear, observing them without immediately strategizing or turning away. This allows for deeper understanding and acceptance.