Moving Metta Meditation: Invite Kindness
This episode of the podcast is a Moving Metta Meditation, or a guided meditation-in-motion, intended as a dynamic (yet gentle) way to explore Lovingkindness Meditation. You might think of it as a complement or alternative to the traditional seated Metta meditation practice.
The meditation itself will start at ~ 3:30 (after a brief introduction).
Why practice a Moving Metta Meditation?
Metta means lovingkindness, goodwill, friendliness, or benevolence. In this meditation, we’ll be using simple Qigong-inspired movements to invoke and express kindness for ourselves and for others.
Photo of Multnomah Falls by Addie deHilster.
For example, the movements in this meditation will include a Qigong form called “Waterfall,” in which we’ll imagine gathering goodness, and then showering ourselves with that benevolent energy. Then, with “Pebble in the Pond,” our movement will symbolize sending our Metta wishes out as ripples in the peaceful water.
Moving meditation can sometimes feel more accessible than seated meditation practices, especially at times when you’re a bit agitated and stressed, or if you find you get bored and distracted easily. The movements help release tension in the body, calm the nervous system, and get us out of our heads. When you practice movement in a mindful and sincere way, it really can feel like a meditative experience.
This dynamic style of meditation can also be a complement to a traditional sitting practice. You could use these movements to essentially “warm-up” for your seated meditation, establishing a stronger awareness in your body and getting the Metta theme flowing. Try it and let me know if the moving meditation supports and deepens your sitting practice!
Details for this Moving Metta Meditation:
Classic Metta Meditations often use the repetition of phrases like “May I (or you, or all beings) be safe, May I (you/all beings) be happy, May I (you/all beings) be healthy, May I (you/all beings) live with ease.” Our movements themselves can be done in a way that promotes the sense of safety, happiness, health, and ease, AND I will invite you to layer in the phrases along with the movements to strengthen the intention.
My goal was to describe the movements clearly enough so you could follow along with just the audio. It’s definitely ok to just approximate what you imagine I’m describing – the spirit of kindness and goodwill is what we’re trying to bring forward here, rather than precise, perfect movements. It’s meant to be more like a guided meditation that just happens to involve moving your body.
This meditation can be done either standing or seated in a chair. You can have your eyes open or close them, but if you’re standing, you may find that keeping them open (with a soft gaze) helps your balance.
I hope you will enjoy this moving meditation, and that it will invite a sense of kindness, embodiment, connection, and ease.
Resources & Links from this episode:
- Hear more background about Lovingkindness practices in podcast Episode 24 – Deeper Dive: Metta (Lovingkindness) and Episode 26 – Metta Meditation, Part 2: Phrases and Nuances.
- For more motivation to try Metta Meditation, check out this article in Psychology Today, which lists some interesting scientific research about the powerful benefits of Lovingkindness practices. The list includes increased vagal tone, improved well-being, decreasing migraines and chronic pain, and reduced depression symptoms in veterans with PTSD.
- I also like this explanation of Lovingkindness Meditation on mindful.org by Sharon Salzburg, one of the leading teachers of Metta and Mindfulness practices.
Learn to teach movement-based mindfulness practices!
If you are interested in sharing movement-based mindfulness practices with others, take a look at the Mindful Movement Teacher Training! This unique online program runs from October-March each year, with live and on-demand training options.