This love meditation is adapted from the Visuddhimagga by Buddhaghosa, a 5th century C.E. systematization of the Buddha's teaching. We begin by practicing the love meditation on ourselves ("May I"). Until we are able to love and take care of ourselves, we cannot be much help to others. After that, we practice them on others ("May he/she/they") - first on someone we like, then on someone neutral to us, and finally on someone who makes us suffer. May I be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit. May I be safe and free from injury. May I be free from anger, afflictions, fear and anxiety. May I learn to look at myself with the eyes of of understanding and love. May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself. May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in myself. May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in myself every day. May I be able to live fresh, solid, and free. May I be free from attachment and aversion, but not indifferent. Love is not just the intention to love, but the capacity to reduce suffering, and offer peace and happiness. The practice of love increases our forbearance, our capacity to be patient and embrace difficulties and pain. Forbearance does mean that we try to suppress pain. Thich Nhat Hanh
About This Quote

"May I" is a meditation on the wish to be happy. It begins with "May I". This is the wish to be happy, to go beyond pain, sorrow, and suffering. May I be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit.

May I be safe and free from injury. May I be free from anger, fear, and anxiety.May I learn to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and love.May I learn how to recognize the seeds of joy in myself.May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in myself every day.May I be able to live fresh, solid, and free.May I be free from attachment and aversion, but not indifferent."May he/she/they" are reflections on how we are affected by others' behavior towards us. We begin with the wish for another person to be peaceful, happy, light in body and spirit.

We wish for him or her to be safe and free from injury. We want them to learn to see themselves with the eyes of understanding and love; they want them to learn how to recognize seeds of joy in themselves; they would like them to know how to nourish seeds of joy in themselves every day; they would like them to learn how to live fresh, solid, and free; they would like them not to become attached or averse; but not indifferent towards them.

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