Loving-kindness (Maitri/Metta) Meditation in the park

This workshop and semi-guided meditation involves cultivating loving-kindness towards ourself and others in a progression. In the final step, I invite you to lean into a difficult aspect of yourself while sending loving-kindness to help mend emotional wounds.

Loving-kindness meditation (also known as metta or maitri) is a powerful and transformational type of meditation which involves taking various objects, such as yourself and others, and sending well-wishes.

In this exercise, we will first begin with a short session of shamatha (mindfulness of breathing) meditation.

Once we are more relaxed and focused, we will move towards loving kindness towards ourselves.

Thirdly, we will move towards loving kindness towards a person close to us.

Fourthly, we will send loving kindness towards a neutral person. In this case, I invite you to send to a fellow participant whom is a stranger, or some other neutral target.

In the last step of loving-kindness, it is common to send maitri to a difficult person in your life. As a twist on this, I invite you to imagine an aspect of yourself that you may dislike or find difficult. We will send loving-kindness to this difficult part of ourselves to help facilitate emotional healing.

After we complete this practice, time affording, there can be discussion and questions.

This event is happening in legislature grounds. We will meet at centennial flame.

Bring something to sit on such as a cushion, or blanket if you like.