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Loving-kindness and gratitude

Loving-kindness (metta)

What it is and where it comes from

Loving-kindness meditation (metta, Pali for 'benevolence') deliberately directs phrases of goodwill toward oneself and, progressively, toward others — a loved one, someone neutral, someone in conflict, and finally all beings. Sharon Salzberg popularized its secular practice in the West starting in the 1970s. Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson (University of North Carolina) showed in a 2008 study that briefly and regularly practicing metta increases daily positive emotions and, over time, personal resources such as sense of purpose and perceived social support.

  • Sharon Salzberg, Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness (1995) — Popularización secular de la práctica de metta en Occidente.
  • Barbara L. Fredrickson et al., Open Hearts Build Lives: Positive Emotions, Induced Through Loving-Kindness Meditation, Build Consequential Personal Resources (2008) — Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Estudio longitudinal que asocia la práctica de metta con incremento de emociones positivas y recursos personales.

How to practice it

  1. 1.Sit comfortably and bring to mind phrases of goodwill: 'may I be safe, may I be at peace, may I be healthy, may I live with ease'.
  2. 2.Direct those phrases first toward yourself, repeating them slowly several times.
  3. 3.Then direct them toward someone you love, visualizing their face.
  4. 4.Widen the circle: someone neutral (a stranger), someone you have difficulty with, and finally 'all beings'.
  5. 5.If you feel resistance at any step (especially toward yourself or someone in conflict), that's normal; return to the phrases without forcing the feeling.

Contraindications

Directing kindness toward oneself can feel uncomfortable for people with very damaged self-esteem or a history of severe self-criticism; in those cases it may help to start with a loved one rather than oneself, and proceed without rushing.

Frequently asked questions about loving-kindness (metta)

What's the difference between metta and mindfulness?

Mindfulness observes present experience without judging; metta actively cultivates a specific emotion (goodwill) toward oneself and others. They are complementary.

This app generates guided meditations using artificial intelligence for wellness and relaxation purposes. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace the evaluation of a psychologist, psychiatrist, or doctor. If you feel persistent anxiety or distress, suicidal ideation, or acute physical symptoms, seek professional help or emergency services.