The New Year practice that can reduce stress and improve sleep
This is what metta means – and how to try it out
- Loving-kindness meditation, known as metta, is practised by Buddhists around the world and cultivates limitless, unconditional love and universal friendliness.
- Metta differs from romantic love as it is not reciprocal or conditional and non-discriminatory, offered without expectation of return to oneself and others.
- The practice involves quietly reciting traditional phrases, such as 'May I/they/we be well, happy, and peaceful,' starting with oneself and gradually expanding to all living beings.
- Clinical research indicates that metta meditation can improve mental health, reducing anxiety and depression, increasing life satisfaction, and fostering self-acceptance and connection with others.
- Beyond individual benefits, the practice is suggested to have societal advantages, promoting cooperation and understanding, which are vital for a functioning democracy.