Mettā is goodwill: the wish that beings be safe and well. It can be cultivated deliberately, including when warm feelings do not immediately appear.
Begin with someone for whom goodwill comes easily, or with yourself if that feels comfortable. Silently wish for safety, well-being and freedom from hostility. Let the wish widen gently to people you know, people you do not know, and other living beings.
The Karaṇīya Mettā Sutta connects expansive goodwill with conduct such as honesty, gentleness and contentment. Loving-kindness belongs in our actions as well as our thoughts. It does not require accepting mistreatment or abandoning sensible boundaries.
Try it today
Choose one person you encounter today. Offer them patient attention or a small, practical kindness.
A moment to reflect
What is the difference between wishing someone well and agreeing with everything they do?
Explore the sources
These are introductory summaries, not quotations or replacements for the original teachings.
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