Loving-Kindness in Plain English: The Practice of Metta

I tried one of his first books, mindfulness in ain English, and liked it alot. That book helped me understand a lot about myself and my behaviors. After practicing insight meditation, I would feel relieved and less stressed out, but not really "better" more of a how to manual about understanding behaviors. With this book, I feel that I have a complimentary practice with my mindfulness. Metta practice, or practicing, loving kindness to all beings (starting with yourself, then growing your circle to encompass your family and friends. Advanced practice helps you love neutral strangers and people who are challenging in your life. After a few sessions, I would feel a warm and gushy feeling emanating from my chest. After about a week of daily practice (15 minutes - 1 hour), I started feeling pretty good about myself. After two weeks of diligent practice, I noticed little things in my life "falling into place." It's easy to slip back to normal habits, but with some practice, I'm able to practice "equanimity" as challenging situations are arising . If you want to understand reality a bit differently, or just to feel good about yourself as you are now, then buy this book. You'll be a stronger, happier person for it. You might even start attracting positive, kind people into your life. We could all use that.

This is my second time buying this book. I pre ordered it not long before it came out, which was perfect given I had suddenly developed the desire to practice loving-kindness. I skim through this book every day and it helps super charge my loving friendliness that I bring into the day and practice non-stop as I have much anxiety and this is the one practice coupled with mindfulness and concentrated breathing that helps significantly. I don't think you will ever find a more useful book. I love buddhist books (I have been reading and practicing them for several years) but this one is at the top for sure, so it surprises me that it only has 15 reviews! I hope this book reaches more people, I will do my part to help.

There is no possibility of progressing and maturing in the buddhist spiritual path without cultivating the qualities of the human heart. What the Bhante Gunaratana presents us here is a condensation of the purest teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha, through his own anecdotes and life experiences along many decades, including also the experiences of the Buddha himself and his disciples from the Pali canon. The cultivation of metta (loving-kindness) is fundamental and universal to all Buddhist traditions and cannot be skipped over if one wants to progress in the meditations of shamatha and karuna (great compassion). The book includes the Karaniya Meta Sutta and the Meta Nisamsa Sutta As a practitioner of the Tibetan Mahayana I corage all practitioners to purchase this book and practice directly according to its detailed instructions to open and fill their hearts with unmeasurable love for the healing and pacification of the whole world.

If you are interested in metta (loving-kindness) meditation, I recommend reading this book. Most of the book is spent on explaining the virtues of doing metta meditation rather than providing detailed instructions about how to do the practice.

I loved this, cover to cover. I often underline parts that stand out to me when I read Buddhist books, and I gave up after a few pages because I was just underlining everything. It's a wonderful book. I believe that if everyone in the world read this book and practiced what it teaches than we would be living in a better world. I want to live there. I hope you do, too. Please read this book and reflect on its message. You can find peace, and you can help the people around you. Thank you, Bhante G. You are a true teacher.

I have read this book a few times and it is easy to read and has some great lessons. I would recommend this to anyone.

Book had been used and showed wear. Pages dog-eared. Book cover and pages inside were creased.

This book is simple to understand, but most of all to me it is very practical.

Tudo ótimo!

I have certainly wanted to throttle less people since reading this or at least been willing to learn to want to. When the pupil is ready etc. I have read multiple authors and I appreciate often Westerners take on Buddhist principles and it can be easier for me to understand via culture, but I seem to revert back to trying to understand a more traditional viewpoint, like this. I do not accept everything that is presented in Buddhism, but much of it is better than anything else I have come across - far better.

Very well written book. Covers all aspects of Metta meditation in simple language.

The message of this book can be written succinctly and indeed has been written elsewhere as such. But the practice of metta is in my view fundamental to the development of mindfulness, whether you take a religious or secular view on the subject. It is therefore worth considering and cultivating at length. This book offers the practice of metta in multiple forms to show how it can be adapted to different people. It also offers profound reflections based on religious texts and the personal experience of the author on the intention of metta practice and its benefits. What I personally benefited from the extended read is I obtained a clearer picture of the intention one must cultivate when practising metta. It is not sufficient to glibly recite words of kindness (imho a waste of effort on its own) but to feel and cultivate a loving and friendly intention. It clarified that one should focus on the love that wishes others well, not on the love that wishes for others affection.

It was a good reminder for me to practice metta meditation more sincerely, I already have seen its effect but this book reminded me to keep metta practice 24/7 routines.so instead of just being mindful now I will cultivate metta bhawana whenever my mind wonders.this a wonderful practice and it works like magic, I am fully aware of it.