WHAT IS MEDITATION ON LOVING-KINDNESS?

Through the practice of loving-kindness meditation, on the other hand, it is possible to accomplish all of this. My argument is supported by scientific evidence.The practice of loving-kindness meditation, also known as LKM, is an old Buddhist form of meditation that encourages the cultivation of universal compassion and goodwill toward oneself and others.

Over the course of this paper, I will discuss what it is, how it operates, and the benefits of the practice that have been derived from research. In addition to that, I will provide you with helpful resources and scripts that will aid you in experimenting with LKM, expanding your existing practice, and presenting it to your clients.

You may want to consider downloading three free exercises that focus on self-compassion before proceeding. These specific exercises, which are founded on scientific principles, may aid you in cultivating compassion and kindness toward yourself, and they can also provide you with the skills necessary to assist your clients, students, or employees in demonstrating more compassion to themselves.

What Is Loving-Kindness Meditation?

Being kind and loving According to Feldman (2017), the term "meditation" is the English translation of "metta bhavana," which is the first of the four Brahma Vihara meditation methods that the Buddha developed for the purpose of generating pleasant feelings.

The practice of loving-kindness meditation, also known as LKM, is centered on the progressive development of loving-kindness toward oneself and others, with the ultimate objective of including all living species, both visible and invisible, throughout the cosmos. An important point to note is that metta is sometimes translated as "universal friendliness" in order to emphasize the impersonal nature of the feeling that is produced, which does not include any desire or expectation of receiving anything in return (Griffin, 2022).

A recent scientific research lends credence to the original teaching of Buddha, which asserts that LKM enhances mental wellbeing in a number of different ways. In the next paragraphs, the benefits of the practice will be discussed in further depth.

4 Brahma Viharas

LKM is the basic practice of the Four Brahma Viharas, which are a quartet of Buddhist meditation practices. These practices are also referred to as the four heavenly abodes or the four immeasurables. According to Feldman (2017), the following is a collection of complimentary meditation techniques that are centered on the cultivation of happy emotions:

1. Metta (loving-kindness)
2. Karuna (compassion)
3. Mudita (appreciative joy)
4. Uppekha (equanimity)

Each of these beneficial meditation techniques lays the groundwork for the next. For example, we must develop loving-kindness in order to grow compassion, and both loving-kindness and compassion practices are required to build the appreciating pleasure that celebrates the abilities and successes of others (Nhat Hanh, 2006).

The Buddha prescribed these three practices as a method for transforming their opposing emotional states as follows:

• Loving-kindness overcomes hatred.
• Compassion overcomes cruelty.
• Appreciative joy overcomes envy.

When these three practices are combined, a state of serenity is eventually attained called equanimity. This is the emotional foundation of freedom from suffering (Nhat Hanh, 2006).

What loving-kindness is and isn’t – Sharon Salzberg

Sharon Salzberg (2002), a meditation teacher and worldwide bestselling author, discusses in further depth what loving-kindness is and is not. This is significant because, in Western, competitive societies, the concept of practicing loving-kindness toward all living forms may elicit feelings of weakness and gullibility.

But nothing could be farther from the truth. Rather than placing practitioners at danger of manipulation or abuse, the benefits of LKM practice include an open and courageous heart, as well as an improved capacity to handle conflict by taking things less personally.

In the section below, I outline the practice's advantages, but generally, research demonstrates that frequent LKM practice enhances resilience and should be seen as a source of strength.

Salzberg demonstrates how loving-kindness practice contradicts traditional views of love as personal, conditional, and transactional.

Benefits of Loving-Kindness Meditation

Taking a more secular approach, one may argue that the Buddha taught metta to the monks to assist them overcome their anxiety while meditating alone in the jungle, surrounded by various perils. The premise for the practice is that spreading goodwill to all living creatures eliminates fear since loving-kindness and dread cannot coexist. According to Ñanamoli Thera (1994), Metta provides both bodily and emotional protection.

For example, most of us are aware of how fear and anxiety may increase your vulnerability to injury while traveling alone far from home. When attempting to target a victim, criminals seek for signs of weakness.

A same reasoning applies here. The Buddha taught his monks metta because love and fear are incompatible. A lack of terror reduced the monks' vulnerability, calmed them down, and caused less disturbance in the forest. According to the narrative, after the monks started to practice metta meditation, the tree and soil spirits were appeased and even protected them as they practiced.

According to the Buddha

The Buddha gave a talk on the 11 benefits of loving-kindness meditation (AN 11.16), some of which are now supported by science.

1. You sleep well.
2. You awaken refreshed.
3. You don’t have bad dreams.
4. Other people regard you with affection.
5. Animals and pets regard you with affection.
6. Celestial beings protect you.
7. You will be free from injury from fire, weapons, and poison.
8. You can concentrate quickly.
9. You have a bright complexion.
10. You will die peacefully, free of fear and agitation.
11. If you fail to attain enlightenment, you will have a pleasant rebirth.

According to science

Below is a snapshot of the benefits of LKM according to the latest scientific research.

1. Reduced self-criticism

Loving-kindness meditation reduces self-criticism, quietens our inner critic, and makes us more self-accepting (Shahar et al., 2015).

Also, seven weeks of LKM resulted in a marked reduction in self-harming impulses in individuals with suicidal tendencies and borderline personality traits (Fredrickson et al., 2008).

2. Enhanced wellbeing

Studies have shown that regular LKM practice increases vagal tone, a physiological marker of subjective wellbeing that improves the quality of life and life satisfaction (Kok et al., 2013).

3. Reduced cellular aging

A 12-week randomized control trial comparing the effects of mindfulness meditation and LKM on telomere length in beginner practitioners found that LKM buffered the telomere shortening associated with cellular aging (Le Nguyen et al., 2019).

4. Reduced pain

Pilot studies on patients with chronic back pain (Carson et al., 2005) and migraine (Tonelli & Wachholtz, 2014) showed that when they practiced loving-kindness meditation for brief periods, participants experienced a reduction in pain symptoms and accomplished their daily tasks with more ease and comfort.

5. Greater resilience

A study of patients with long-term post-traumatic stress disorder showed that engaging in compassion and self-love meditations reduced trauma symptoms and flashbacks (Kearney et al., 2013).

Control studies showed that groups that received loving-kindness meditation scripts during their sessions could resume work sooner than participants who received other instruction.

Also, LKM improves resilience and helps prevent burnout in healthcare providers (Seppala et al., 2014).

6. Improved relationships

Loving-kindness meditation results in greater empathy for strangers and better social connections at work (Hutcherson et al., 2008), as well as greater stability in social relationships in general (Don et al., 2022).