"With his signature clarity and warmth, Bhante Gunaratana shares with us how we can cultivate loving-kindness to live a life of joyful harmony with others. Through personal anecdotes, step-by-step meditations, conversational renderings of the Buddha's words in the suttas, and transformative insights into how we live in and relate to the world, we learn that peace here and now is possible-- within ourselves and in all our relationships. Bhante G speaks directly to how we can cultivate loving-kindness to find emotional clarity, overcome anger, and become more peaceful-- both on and off the meditation cushion."--Amazon.com.

Loving-kindness, the English translation of the Pali word metta, is defined as unconditional well-wishing and openhearted nurturing of ourselves and others, just as we are. By practicing loving-kindness, you can learn to treat yourself and others-even strangers-like dear friends, putting aside criticism and judgment and choosing instead to open your heart to greater generosity, forgiveness, and compassion. While Buddha taught loving-kindness meditation as an antidote to fear, it can also quiet feelings of anger, judgment, and worry by helping you see the innate goodness within yourself and others. Whether used as part of a formal meditation practice or as daily mindfulness exercises, the 100 meditations in The Gift of Loving-Kindness make it easy to open your heart and share the seeds of loving-kindness with others.

Loving-kindness is a spiritual belief and practice found in almost all religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Buddhism. Its main tenet focuses on the intention of one person to direct good will and loving prayers to another person. Anyone who prays for the happiness, safety, and good health of a loved one or stranger is practicing loving-kindness. This book of teachings and meditations explains how to energize your own prayers and good wishes with the regular practice of the traditional Buddhist loving-kindness meditation. Bill Scheffel, a poet and teacher, explains how important it is to first offer yourself loving-kindness before you begin to offer that love and support to others. Illustrated with glorious full-color photography with quotes ranging from the Bible to poetry, Loving-kindness Meditation is a one-of-a-kind explanation of a prayer common to us all: The prayer for love and peace for all people. Book jacket.

Explains how the Buddhist path can help individuals discover the inner joy within themselves, and shares simple Buddhist teachings and suggestions for meditation.

Open your heart and mind and discover--through the sacred art of lovingkindness--the image and likeness of God in yourself and others. "The question at the heart of this book is this: Will you engage this moment with kindness or with cruelty, with love or with fear, with generosity or scarcity, with a joyous heart or an embittered one? This is your choice and no one can make it for you.... Heaven and hell are both inside of you. It is your choice that determines just where you reside." --from the Introduction We are all born in the image of God, but living out the likeness of God is a choice. This inspiring, practical guidebook provides you with the tools you need to realize the divinity within yourself, recognize the divinity within others, and act on the obligation to manifest God's infinite compassion in your own life. Guided by Rabbi Rami Shapiro, you will explore Judaism's Thirteen Attributes of Lovingkindness as the framework for cultivating a life of goodness. Shapiro translates these attributes into practices--drawn from the teachings of a variety of faith traditions--that allow you to actualize God's glory through personal deeds of lovingkindness. You will enrich your own capacity for lovingkindness as you: Harvest kindness through compassionate honesty Make room in your heart for reality Recognize the manifestations of God Embrace the paradoxical truth of not-knowing Be present in the moment Do right by others With candor, wit, and honesty, Shapiro shows you that by choosing to act out of love rather than fear, with kindness rather than anger, you can transform how you perceive the world and ultimately lead a more complete spiritual life.