It’s Metta (not Meta) Time

“  … upping your love game is anything but boring.  It’s countercultural because it cuts against the never-enoughness and always-behindness that society seems to want us to feel.”  Dan Harris, Author and Journalist

Much has been made of the name change of the parent company of Facebook from Facebook, Inc., to Meta Platforms, Inc. (“Meta” for short) to reflect its focus on building the “metaverse.”  The metaverse, in science fiction, is a hypothetical iteration of the Internet as a single, universal, and immersive virtual world that is facilitated using virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets – a world that would form an alternate, parallel version of “reality” which for many has the potential to serve as an “escape.”  

There is another approach to experiencing the world differently that can alter our perceptions of “reality” in a way that will truly enhance social connection as well as provide many other benefits.  While it is pronounced the same as meta, Metta, a word that originated in ancient India and became popularized through Buddhism, is not some science fiction construct, but rather the expression of a desire for benevolence, loving-kindness, and good will toward all living beings – a universal, unselfish, and all-embracing love.  For those who embrace Metta, their desire is not to “escape” their present reality, but rather to change their perception of it, starting by changing how they view themselves.   

The doorway to this transformation is through Metta Meditation, a structured process that allows an emotional shift to occur by directing thoughts of well-being, happiness, safety, and peace toward oneself, others, and the world.  With regular practice, one can develop this intentional expression of compassion and love like any other skill so that it becomes natural and habitual.  Doing so has been shown, among other positive effects, to attenuate the stress response, increase compassion, decrease bias, and curb self-criticism, all with lasting impact through ongoing use.

It is this form of Metta that I practice routinely and tap into on those days when I’ve exceeded my tolerance threshold and feel frustration spilling over, whether it be with challenging circumstances, other people, or my own imperfections.  By doing so, I bring a more compassionate, open-hearted self to the world.  “May I be happy,” I repeat as I take a moment to reground myself.  “May I be well, may I be free from suffering … may you be happy, may you be well …”

Given the present challenges within healthcare (and the wider world), there are plenty of opportunities for such a practice to come in quite handy.  That has certainly been my experience.  Why not give it a try with this video guide!  Afterall, embracing a Metta mindset has the potential to bring about life-giving interconnection that a wearing a virtual reality headset will never achieve.  I’m in …

Previous
Previous

Looking for Some Medicine for Your Soul? Try Music!

Next
Next

Let Your “Word” Help Create Your World in 2023