Put simply Loving-Kindness Meditation or Metta is the practice of directing positive thoughts and well wishes to ourselves and others. It’s a form of Mindful Meditation for cultivating compassion, love for oneself and others.
My eldest and I tried this for the first time where we focused on making wishes for our own well-being, for the well-being of others (family, friends etc), all creatures and the Earth. The first rule of Kindness is to be kind to yourself.
An example
- May I/You be happy
- May I/You be healthy
- May I/You be strong
- May I/You be at peace (or may I/You live with ease)
Tips;
- Wear something comfortable.
- Find a nice comfortable, quiet spot. You can sit on cushions or lie down if you like.
- For beginners a few minutes is more than enough time to start with.
Further reading for ideas on how to do this form of Mindfulness Meditation;
- How to Practice Metta with Children
- How to Teach Children Loving-Kindness Meditation
- A Loving Kindness Practice for Young Children
- Lets Do This Loving-Kindness Thing All the Time (School-with First Graders)
Other forms of Meditation we have explored;
Peace Time (Creative Meditation and Positive Thinking for Children). We received this book and CD set as a gift a couple of years ago. It is written by Sara Albion. The meditations in the book are designed to assist children in remaining calm, focused and to help ease stress. Also designed to assist children in developing self esteem and self worth. The CD runs for approx 48 minutes and covers the 9 meditations that are in the book. This set says it is suitable for ages 3-12 years. My eldest (4.5 years) Isn’t keen on the CD at this point and prefers to work through the book with me.
