英文原文
Cultivating Purpose and Resilience: A Beginner’s Guide to Loving-Kindness Meditation for Midlife Growth
by Shelley Webb | 0 comments
Introduction to The Loving Kindness Meditation
I recently took an online course from the University of Michigan called “Finding Purpose and Meaning In Life: Living for What Matters Most”. It was taught by Professor Victor Strecher. He has also written a book on the subject called “Life on Purpose: How Living for What Matters Most Changes Everything”. His daughter had died of an illness when she was a young teen and he was lost as to how to live his life... until one day his daughter “spoke” to him while he was rowing in his kayak on Lake Michigan and told him he needed to get on with his life.
During this class, Professor Strecher mentioned the Loving Kindness Meditation and that it had helped him and some other people he knew. It’s a fairly short meditation and I liked the messages it sends to ourselves and out into the world.
The Loving-kindness meditation, or Metta, is a mindfulness practice that cultivates goodwill, kindness, and compassion by silently repeating phrases of well-wishes towards yourself and others. It involves starting out by sending warm feelings to yourself first and then gradually extending them to loved ones, acquaintances, someone you’ve had a difficult time with, and eventually to all living beings. This ancient Buddhist practice aims to boost happiness, reduce self-focus and negativity, and foster feelings of connection and empathy. There are many different versions of this phrase, but I like this one because it’s easy to remember: “May I be happy, may I be healthy, may I be safe, may I live with ease”.
How to Practice Loving-Kindness Meditation
1. Begin with your Breath:
Find a quiet spot where you won’t be interrupted. Sit comfortably and take a few deep breaths to relax and center yourself. Breathe in to the count of 4, hold for 4 and then breathe out for 4. Once you begin reciting the phrases, if your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the phrases.
2. Focus on Yourself:
First, extend the well-wishes to yourself. Silently or by whispering, repeat the phrases, inwardly hearing, feeling, affirming “May I be happy, may I be healthy, may I be safe, may I live with ease”.
3. Expand to a Loved One:
Think of a close friend or family member and direct the same loving-kindness phrases to them, continuing to inwardly hear, feel and affirm.
4. Include a Neutral Person:
Next, consider someone you don’t have strong feelings about, such as an acquaintance, and offer them well-wishes.
5. Extend to a Difficult Person:
Bring to mind someone with whom you have or have had a conflict, then offer the phrases for their well-being.
6. Include All Beings:
Finally, broaden the circle of kindness to include all people in your community, your country, and eventually all living creatures.
7. Rest in the Feeling:
Conclude the meditation by sitting with the feelings of warmth, compassion, and connection that have arisen.
Benefits of Loving-Kindness Meditation
Increased Happiness:
It cultivates a sense of connection, leading to greater happiness and life satisfaction.
Reduced Negativity:
It can help quiet the inner critic, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and, even though you start the meditation with well-wishes for yourself, it lessens the focus on oneself.
Enhanced Empathy:
Regular practice fosters empathy and improves social interactions and close relationships.
Boosted Well-being:
It’s a powerful self-care technique that strengthens positive emotions and helps cope with stress.
Greater Connection:
It helps you feel more connected to others, including strangers.
Integrating the Loving Kindness Meditation into your life
For women over 50, loving-kindness meditation can reignite a sense of purpose by quieting self-doubt from past experiences and fostering optimism, much like shifting from hesitation to excitement for new adventures, leading to a more vibrant and empowered life. It can also be especially powerful in fostering resilience (super important for a fulfilling life).
To help weave it into your routine, try it during quiet moments like morning reflections or evening wind-downs, focusing on affirmations that celebrate your growth and foster a sense of community, turning daily frustrations into opportunities for inner peace and joyful connections.
As you practice, notice how it cultivates resilience and purpose, empowering you to embrace transitions with strength and celebrate life’s joys. Remember, kindness to yourself is the first step toward a more meaningful and vibrant journey.
If you’d like to be guided through a Loving Kindness Meditation, here is a nice example:
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中文翻译
培养目标与韧性：慈心禅修初学者指南，助力中年成长
作者：Shelley Webb | 0 条评论
慈心禅修简介
我最近参加了密歇根大学的一门在线课程，名为“寻找生命的目标与意义：为最重要的事情而活”。该课程由Victor Strecher教授授课。他还就此主题写了一本书，名为《有目标的生活：为最重要的事情而活如何改变一切》。他的女儿在青少年时期因病去世，他一度迷失了生活的方向……直到有一天，他在密歇根湖上划皮划艇时，女儿“对他说话”，告诉他需要继续生活下去。
在这门课上，Strecher教授提到了慈心禅修，并说它帮助了他和他认识的一些人。这是一种相当简短的禅修，我喜欢它传递给自身和世界的信息。
慈心禅修，或称Metta，是一种正念练习，通过默默重复对自己和他人的美好祝愿，培养善意、仁慈和同情心。它从向自己发送温暖的感觉开始，然后逐渐扩展到亲人、熟人、与你相处困难的人，最终扩展到所有众生。这种古老的佛教修行旨在提升幸福感，减少自我中心和负面情绪，培养连接感和同理心。这个短语有许多不同的版本，但我喜欢这个，因为它容易记住：“愿我快乐，愿我健康，愿我安全，愿我生活安逸”。
如何练习慈心禅修
1. 从呼吸开始：
找一个安静、不会被打扰的地方。舒适地坐下，深呼吸几次，放松并集中注意力。吸气数到4，屏住呼吸数到4，然后呼气数到4。一旦开始念诵短语，如果思绪飘散，轻轻将其带回短语上。
2. 专注于自己：
首先，将美好祝愿延伸给自己。默默地或轻声重复短语，内心聆听、感受、确认“愿我快乐，愿我健康，愿我安全，愿我生活安逸”。
3. 扩展到亲人：
想到一位亲密的朋友或家人，将同样的慈心短语指向他们，继续内心聆听、感受和确认。
4. 包括一个中立的人：
接下来，考虑一个你没有强烈感情的人，比如一位熟人，并为他们提供美好祝愿。
5. 延伸到一个困难的人：
想起一个你与之有或曾有冲突的人，然后为他们提供福祉的短语。
6. 包括所有众生：
最后，扩大仁慈的圈子，包括你社区、国家中的所有人和最终所有生物。
7. 安住于感受中：
通过安坐于升起的温暖、同情和连接感中结束禅修。
慈心禅修的好处
增加幸福感：
它培养连接感，带来更大的幸福感和生活满意度。
减少负面情绪：
它可以帮助平息内心的批评，减少抑郁和焦虑症状，并且即使你从对自己许愿开始禅修，它也能减少对自我的关注。
增强同理心：
定期练习培养同理心，改善社交互动和亲密关系。
提升幸福感：
这是一种强大的自我关怀技巧，增强积极情绪，帮助应对压力。
更大的连接感：
它帮助你感觉与他人，包括陌生人，更加连接。
将慈心禅修融入生活
对于50岁以上的女性，慈心禅修可以通过平息来自过去经历的自我怀疑和培养乐观精神，重新点燃目标感，就像从犹豫转向对新冒险的兴奋，带来更充满活力和赋权的生活。它在培养韧性方面也特别强大（对充实生活至关重要）。
为了帮助将其融入日常，尝试在安静时刻如早晨反思或晚上放松时进行，专注于庆祝成长和培养社区感的肯定语，将日常挫折转化为内心平静和快乐连接的机会。
当你练习时，注意它如何培养韧性和目标感，赋予你力量以坚强拥抱转变并庆祝生活的喜悦。记住，对自己仁慈是迈向更有意义和充满活力旅程的第一步。
如果你想被引导进行慈心禅修，这里有一个很好的例子：
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文章概要
本文基于关键词“使用慈心禅修改善中年关系”，介绍了慈心禅修（Metta）作为一种佛教正念练习，通过对自己和他人发送美好祝愿，培养善意、仁慈和同情心。文章详细描述了练习步骤，包括从自己开始，逐步扩展到亲人、中立者、困难者和所有众生，并强调了其好处，如增加幸福感、减少负面情绪、增强同理心和连接感。特别针对中年人群，尤其是50岁以上女性，文章指出慈心禅修能帮助重燃生活目标、培养韧性，并改善人际关系，从而提升整体生活质量。
高德明老师的评价
用12岁初中生可以听懂的语音来重复翻译的内容
这篇文章讲的是一个叫慈心禅修的方法，就像在心里默默对自己和别人说好话，比如“愿我快乐，愿我健康”。先从自己开始，然后想到家人、朋友，甚至你不喜欢的人，最后想到全世界的人。这样做能让你感觉更开心，少生气，更懂得关心别人，特别是对中年人来说，能帮助他们找回生活的意义，和朋友家人关系更好。
佛学的各个宗派视角评价，突出《显密圆通成佛心要集》的视角
从佛学显宗和大乘视角看，慈心禅修体现了菩萨道的利他精神，与《显密圆通成佛心要集》强调的“心要”相契合，即通过修心达到圆融无碍。慈心禅修作为基础法门，培养慈悲心，为后续修行如准提法奠定基础。准提法作为显密圆通的法门，其优点在于简便易行、普适性强，慈心禅修可视为其前导，帮助行者净化心念、积累资粮。从宗派视角，此法属于大乘佛教的普遍实践，强调自利利他，与净土宗的念佛、禅宗的观心等有相通之处，但更侧重于情感层面的转化。
在修行实践上可以应用的和可以解决人们的十个问题。
在修行实践上，慈心禅修可以应用于日常，帮助人们解决以下十个问题：1. 缓解孤独感，通过培养连接感；2. 减少焦虑和抑郁，通过平息内心批评；3. 改善人际关系，通过增强同理心；4. 提升自我接纳，通过从自己开始许愿；5. 应对压力，通过强化积极情绪；6. 培养宽容，通过向困难者发送祝愿；7. 增强生活目标感，通过重燃热情；8. 促进社区和谐，通过扩展仁慈圈子；9. 提升幸福感，通过增加快乐体验；10. 支持中年转型，通过培养韧性。准提法的优点在于其咒语和观想结合，能更快速净化业障，慈心禅修可作为其辅助，帮助行者心性调柔。