Metta bhavana, or loving-kindness meditation, is a method of developing compassion – and of witnessing within yourself the deepest and most pure essence of love – that of divine, spiritual love. Metta bhavana comes from the Buddhist tradition, but the practice of loving kindness is universal.
“In metta bhavana, you are guided to offer loving kindness as your sincere intention whilst deliberately feeling the experience of loving kindness and compassion throughout your being.”
To be loving kindness is a way of being – with ourselves – and in our life with others; to hold loving thoughts and feelings; of good will – of peace – of kindness and care towards those we love and appreciate; those that we may see or interact with on some regular basis but perhaps do not know well, as well as towards those with whom we may have conflict and with whom we mistrust or dislike.
Aligned with the traditional practice of Metta bhavana “loving kindness”…
I have curated a ‘new experience’ of loving kindness meditation; one that is based on the traditional witnessing of your heart open and embracing the deliberate offering of this intentional desire outwards to all others; beginning and ending with yourself. For some, it may be most difficult to contemplate love of self at this level, but I believe that if you proceed with the intention to hold your heart open during this meditation – to your experience of conveying love purely and directed inward, then you will do much to heal, to experience love as a state that you may choose to live in; and to feel the loving kindness that you are able to gift – to share unto others – freely.
If at any time you wish to have further assistance in the experience of witnessing your heart open then consider my words spoken at the outset of this meditation: that ‘you only need to surrender to it – to allow the energy of love to be a part of you. There is no need for effort – only the gentle allowing of what already is.’ In the inclusion of all religious beliefs and spiritual faiths, is the universal teaching that the energy of love flows through each one of us in all moments, we simply need to allow this – to be witness to it – as how we have the experience of being love. 
Please share your feedback of this meditation with me in the comments section and practice in your waking moments (outside of meditation) to consciously send thoughts and intentions of loving kindness to those people who come to mind during your day, regardless of your present relationship with them (which of itself has the potential for movement, for growth, and greater satisfaction). You may use the words that I mention in this meditation or any of your own that help you to offer loving kindness – shared freely. Namaste! xo
*I have included below further instructions of this beautiful practice based on its traditional teachings, as you may wish to learn more. Thank you! 
For more guided meditations please visit the WISDOM Archives!
Loving-Kindness Practice Instructions (traditional form)
based on a teaching by Steven Smith
Loving-kindness, or metta, as it in called in the Pali language, is unconditional, inclusive love, – a love with wisdom. It has no conditions; it does not depend on whether one “deserves” it or not; it is not restricted to friends and family; it extends out from personal categories to include all living beings. There are no expectations of anything in return. This is the ideal, pure love, which everyone has in potential. We begin with loving ourselves, for unless we have a measure of this unconditional love and acceptance for ourselves, it is difficult to extend it to others. Then we include others who are special to us, and, ultimately, all living things. Gradually, both the visualization and the meditation phrases blend into the actual experience, the feeling of loving kindness.
This is a meditation of care, concern, tenderness, loving kindness, friendship–a feeling of warmth for oneself and others. The practice is the softening of the mind and heart, an opening to deeper and deeper levels of the feeling of kindness, of pure love. Loving kindness is without any desire to possess another. It is not a sentimental feeling of goodwill, not an obligation, but comes from a selfless place. It does not depend on the relationships, or how the other person feels about us. The process is first one of softening, breaking down barriers that we feel inwardly toward ourselves, and then those that we feel toward others.
thank you Steven for this! Namaste!
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