how do YOU practice metta meditation

[jcsuperstar]

what is your personal metta practice like? is it simply auto-suggestion or chanting? you you feel metta in your heart area?
i'd like to know more.
please share

jc

[Sanghamitta]

It varies. Sometimes It flows freely with a lot of emotional content and feelings of loving kindness. At other times it is more cerebral. More a question of holding people in mind and wishing them well. I am not sure what you mean by feeling metta in my heart...if my second sentence covers it then I do.

[bodom]

Have you read Bhante G's Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English?
I practice his method.

[Rui Sousa]

My practice is based on imagining the sun's light and warmth on my body.

[bodom]

My practice is based on imagining the sun's light and warmth on my body.

Couldnt you just sit outside in the sun?

[Rui Sousa]

My practice is based on imagining the sun's light and warmth on my body.

Couldnt you just sit outside in the sun?

I could, and I do.

[bodom]

My practice is based on imagining the sun's light and warmth on my body.

Couldnt you just sit outside in the sun?

I could, and I do.

I wish I had privacy to be able to sit out in the sun. Living in an apartment complex makes it a bit difficult. Maybe I will give your practice a try!

[adeh]

I am doing metta as a complete meditation as taught by Bhikkhu Sujato. He teaches the Metta meditation method taught by his teacher Ajahn Maha Chatchai...it's really good....

[Guy]

I am doing metta as a complete meditation as taught by Bhikkhu Sujato. He teaches the Metta meditation method taught by his teacher Ajahn Maha Chatchai...it's really good....

I agree, I really like his style.

Guided metta meditations and talks about this style can be found here: Metta Meditation and The Practice of Metta

[m0rl0ck]

I dont do it often, but sometimes if im feeling anger i make a point to do it every day. Mostly tho i do on the bus because rude people piss me off and old, sad or sick people make me sad. So i send them a little love.

I use this method:

http://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/Buddhis ... /Metta.htm

[purist_andrew]

I practice roughly according to the method of Sayadaw U Pandita as outlined in his book "The State of Mind Called Beautiful." Repeating mantras mentally for directional pervasion of metta and karuna.

May all beings be free from emnity and danger,
be free from mental suffering,
be free from physical suffering,
be able to look after themselves happily.

May all breathing beings be free from emnity and danger,
be free from mental suffering,
be free from physical suffering,
be able to look after themselves happily

May all beings who have been born be free from emnity and danger,
be free from mental suffering,
be free from physical suffering,
be able to look after themselves happily

May all individuals be free from emnity and danger,
be free from mental suffering,
be free from physical suffering,
be able to look after themselves happily

May all those contained in bodies be free from emnity and danger,
be free from mental suffering,
be free from physical suffering,
be able to look after themselves happily

May all female beings... male beings... noble ones... non-noble ones... celestial beings... human beings... beings in woeful states...

And repeated for each of the ten directions, north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest, above, and below.

[Jack]

[quote="jcsuperstar"]what is your personal metta practice like? is it simply auto-suggestion or chanting? you you feel metta in your heart area?
i'd like to know more.
please share
===============
None of the above. I first get a loving kindness feeling that I have for a favorite person. I use the words "May she be at peace. etc." to match up that feeling with the words. Then, I shift my attention around while trying to keep that feeling of loving kindness by using the words. When I lose that feeling, I go back to my original subject, get in touch with the feeling and then return to where I left off.

Its all about feelings not words but the words usually help. Sometimes I don't even use the words, just the feeling of loving kindness.

jack

[rowyourboat]

Don't do it enough.- usually once a week. I direct metta to 10 directions using a similar contemplation to the one above. I guess at other times I try to get away from aversive mindstates- which I feel is as important as developing metta.