Loving Kindness Meditation - In Gospel terms…
The original name of this practice is metta bhavana, which comes from the Pali language. Metta means ‘love’ (in a non-romantic sense), friendliness, or kindness: hence ‘loving-kindness’ for short. It is an emotion, something you feel in your heart. Bhavana means development or cultivation. The commonest form of the practice is in five stages, each of which should last about five minutes for a beginner.
You are my beloved - Luke 3:32 - In the first stage, you feel loving kindness for yourself. You start by becoming aware of yourself, and focusing on feelings of peace, calm, and tranquillity. Then you let these grow in to feelings of strength and confidence, and then develop into love within your heart. You can use an image, like golden light flooding your body, or phrases such as ‘may I be well, may I be happy’, may I be safe, may I be loved, may I have peace and ease’. by repeating these phrases slowly and gently to yourself you are stimulating the feeling of loving kindness for yourself.
I call you friends - John 15:15 - In the second stage think of a someone you love or feel loved by (this can even be a pet). Bring them to mind as vividly as you can, and think of their loving qualities. Feel your connection with your friend, and your liking for them, bring to mind what it’s like to be in their presence, the feelings that arise in you… encourage these feelings to grow by repeating ‘may they (name) be well, may they (name) be happy’, may they (name) be safe, may they (name) be loved, may they (name) have peace and ease’ quietly to yourself. You can also use imagery, such as sending warmth and light from your heart to theirs. You can repeat this in the next two stages.
Love your neighbour as yourself - Mark 12:31 - Then think of someone you do not particularly like or dislike. Your feelings are ‘neutral’. This may be someone you do not know well but see around. You reflect on their humanity, and include them in your feelings of loving kindness.
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you - Luke 6:35 - Then think of someone you actually find hard to like, someone you are having difficulty with, someone who you might say is your enemy. Trying not to get caught up in any feelings of hatred, think of them positively and send your loving kindness to them as well.
Go out into all the world and proclaim the good news to all the world - Mark 16:15 - In the final stage, first of all you think of all four people together — yourself, the friend, the neutral person, and the enemy. Then extend your feelings further — to everyone around you, to everyone in your neighbourhood; in your town, your country, and so on throughout the world. Have a sense of waves of loving-kindness spreading from your heart to everyone, to all beings everywhere. Then gradually relax out of meditation, and bring the practice to an end.