Mind · Beginner · 10 minutes

Loving-Kindness (Metta)

Silently send a few simple wishes of goodwill, first to yourself, then outward to others: 'May you be safe. May you be happy. May you be at ease.' The repeated phrases give the heart a clear task.

Also known as: Metta Meditation, Loving-Kindness Meditation, LKM

Difficulty
Beginner
Suggested session
10 minutes
Posture
Seated

Safety notes

  • Directing kindness inward can surface grief, guilt, or self-criticism, especially for those with low self-esteem or trauma histories; if strong distress arises, ease back to an easy recipient or stop.
  • The 'difficult person' stage is optional and can be skipped entirely; never push into someone who feels genuinely unsafe to picture.
  • A wellbeing practice, not a treatment for depression, PTSD, or any condition; please seek professional care for those.
  • Practice seated and at rest, not while driving or operating machinery.

How to practice

  1. 1. Settle and soften

    Sit comfortably with your hands resting open or one hand on your heart. Let your eyes close. Take a few easy breaths and let your face and shoulders soften.

  2. 2. Learn the phrases

    You'll repeat four simple wishes: May you be safe. May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you live with ease. Let them be slow and sincere, not rushed.

  3. 3. Begin with yourself

    Bring yourself to mind, perhaps a hand on your heart. Silently offer: May I be safe. May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I live with ease. Repeat the round a few times.

  4. 4. A loved one

    Picture someone you care about easily. Hold their face in mind and send the wishes their way: May you be safe. May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you live with ease.

  5. 5. A neutral person

    Bring to mind someone you neither like nor dislike, maybe a neighbor or a cashier. Offer them the same wishes, noticing they want to be happy just as you do.

  6. 6. Someone difficult (optional)

    If it feels okay, picture someone mildly difficult and offer the phrases. If this stirs too much, simply return to yourself or your loved one instead. There's no pressure.

  7. 7. Widen to all beings

    Let the circle open out to include everyone, everywhere: May all beings be safe. May all beings be happy. May all beings be at ease. Let the warmth spread without effort.

  8. 8. Rest in the warmth

    Let go of the words. Sit for a few breaths and notice however you feel, with no need to manufacture anything. Open your eyes when you're ready.

How it works

Rather than emptying the mind, you give it a small recurring assignment: silently repeat a short phrase of goodwill and direct it toward a specific person, moving in stages from yourself to a loved one to a wider circle. The phrases act as a concrete verbal anchor, while picturing each recipient gives attention an image to rest on, so a restless mind has both words and a target to hold. Cycling through people in a set order keeps the practice structured and moving, which suits minds that drift without a clear next step.

Potential benefits

  • Gives the mind a warm, repeatable phrase to hold instead of an anxious loop
  • Research links regular practice with more positive emotion and less self-criticism
  • Gently shifts attention outward, which can ease rumination and self-focus
  • Builds a sense of warmth and connection that can soften a tense, guarded state

Tips

  • If the standard phrases don't land, change the words to ones that genuinely open your heart.
  • If starting with yourself feels hard, begin with a loved one or even a pet, then circle back to yourself.
  • Don't try to force a feeling. The sincere repetition matters more than producing a particular emotion.

Open this guided practice in Meditation Monkey