The Metta Prayer
Reflection on Metta Meditation.
In Chapter 12 verses 29 – 31 of St. Mark’s Gospel, we read: “The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Perhaps we should read this backwards. Learn to love ourselves; so that we can love our neighbor and love God who dwells in all creation.
One of the sayings my mother taught me is: “You can only love God to the extent that you love the person you love the least”. I apply this also to loving myself. How true it is for many of us, that at some time in our lives, self-love is a challenge.
In the poem “The Invitation” by Oriah Mountain Dreamer, we hear these words “It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon … I want to know if you have touched your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shriveled and closed for fear of further pain.” How have you handled the pain life has put you through?
One spiritual practice that I have recently learned is called Metta meditation. Some call it the “Loving Kindness Prayer”. It is a type of Buddhist meditation. Metta means positive energy and kindness toward others.
Do we love ourselves enough to seek the healing touch of God which is always life-giving?
Loving kindness meditation (LKM) is a popular self-care technique that can be used to boost well-being and reduce stress. Those who regularly practice loving kindness meditation are able to increase their capacity for forgiveness, connection to others, self-acceptance, and more.
This technique is not easy and can be difficult at times, as you are asking yourself to send kindness your way or to others. It often takes practice to allow yourself to receive your own love or to send it.
The prayer sequence goes like this:
- For yourself
o May I be filled with loving kindness.
o May I be free from suffering.
o May I be well.
o May I be at peace.
o May I be joyful.
You can repeat this like a mantra, timed with your breathing.
With each breath, let yourself feel a grace-filled love for who you are.
Do this for several days until the rhythm becomes a part of you.
Then you can replace “I’ with “You” or with “All Beings”.