7
Loving-kindness Meditation
Content with stillness of the mind, a clear sphere
as big as the size of the moon or the sun will
appear at the point of stopping. Content with
stopping, with perfect poise at the center of
the sphere, another sphere will appear.
Great Master Phramongkolthepmuni
Skills and Tips
Loving-kindness meditation is not intended as an alternative to other forms of meditation but can be performed as a supplement either before or after your time of normal meditation. If you practice loving-kindness meditation for a few minutes before your normal practice, it will soften the mind, creating the feeling of spaciousness, and make progress in your regular meditation more fruitful. If practiced after your regular meditation practice it will spread the positively generated energy as the result of your meditation for the benefit of all other living being. The traditional benefits of loving-kindness meditation are that it will allow you to sleep soundly, have sweet dreams, wake in happiness, be free from anger, be endearing to others, be optimistic about human nature, and make progress in your meditation with ease.
The Method
Follow the meditation method of your choice as explained in chapters 3, 4, 5 or 6. Leave yourself five extra minutes of meditation at the end of your meditation to follow the instructions as follows:
Allow the mind to rest gently at the center of the body until it comes to a standstill. Using only minimal effort to rest the mind at the center of the body, you will notice that the mind begins to expand as a sphere outwards, spreading the well-being arising as the result of the meditation to all beings within its sphere. Allow the sphere to spread until it encompasses your whole body. Silently entertain the wish that your body be well and happy and free from suffering.
Allow the sphere to spread until it encompasses the whole room in which you are seated. Silently entertain the wish that all beings in the room be well and happy and free from suffering.
Allow the sphere to spread until it encompasses the whole of your neighborhood. Silently entertain the wish that all beings in your neighborhood be well and happy and free from suffering.
Allow the sphere to spread until it encompasses the whole of your town. Silently entertain the wish that all beings in the town be well and happy and free from suffering.
Allow the sphere to spread until it encompasses the whole of your province. Silently entertain the wish that all beings in the province be well and happy and free from suffering.
Allow the sphere to spread until it encompasses the whole of your country. Silently entertain the wish that all beings in the country be well and happy and free from suffering.
Allow the sphere to spread until it encompasses the whole of your continent. Silently entertain the wish that all beings in your continent be well and happy and free from suffering.
Allow the sphere to spread until it encompasses the whole planet. Silently entertain the wish that all beings on the planet be well and happy and free from suffering.
Allow the sphere to spread until it encompasses the whole of the cosmos. Silently entertain the wish that all beings in the cosmos be well and happy and free from suffering.
At the end of your meditation on loving-kindness, condense your mind back to within yourself, as always with your mind centered at the center of the body, and come gently to the end of your meditation.
