Metta Meditation
Cultivating loving-kindness toward self, loved ones, neutral people, difficult people, and all beings.
Metta (loving-kindness) meditation systematically extends goodwill to expanding circles of beings. Start with yourself: 'May I be happy, may I be healthy, may I be safe, may I live with ease.' Then extend these wishes to a loved one, a neutral person, a difficult person, and finally all beings everywhere. Research shows metta practice increases positive emotions, social connection, and vagal tone while decreasing implicit bias and PTSD symptoms. Studies find that just seven minutes of metta meditation increases feelings of social connection toward strangers. This practice rewires the brain for compassion.
You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.