Metta is a Buddhist concept that loosely translates to “loving-kindness.” Additional meanings of the term may be friendliness, benevolence, goodwill, amity, and empathy for others. Metta is a means of recognizing that there is a sense of solidarity in humanity, and approaching others with a sense of friendliness, consideration, and generosity. Recovery focuses on living by a code of love and tolerance of others. Metta is quite similar to living by the spiritual principles of recovery. Acharya Buddharakkhita, in a 1995 Access to Insight article entitled Metta: The Philosophy and Practice of Universal Love, explains: “Essentially metta is an altruistic attitude of love and friendliness as distinguished from mere amiability based on self-interest. Through metta one refuses to be offensive and renounces bitterness, resentment and animosity of every kind, developing instead a mind of friendliness, accommodativeness and benevolence which seeks the well-being and happiness of others. True metta is devoid of self-interest. It evokes within a warm-hearted feeling of fellowship, sympathy and love, which grows boundless with practice and overcomes all social, religious, racial, political and economic barriers. Metta is indeed a universal, unselfish and all-embracing love.” Metta incorporates all of the virtues that we do our best to live by in recovery. In active addiction, our substance use led us down a path of selfishness. We came to care more about the next drink or drug than we did about others. Making use of an attitude of metta helps us live happily, as well as extend good will toward everyone we may encounter throughout our lives. A great way to start living with metta is to incorporate it into our daily meditation practice. The Metta Institute explains, “The practice of Metta meditation is a beautiful support to other awareness practices. One recites specific words and phrases evoking a ‘boundless warm-hearted feeling.’ The strength of this feeling is not limited to or by family, religion, or social class. We begin with our self and gradually extend the wish for well-being happiness to all beings.” Through metta, we can begin gaining more interest in our fellows and divorce ourselves from selfish or self-seeking motives, making for a happier and more joyous experience with our recovery.
Your story can be one of happiness, joyousness, and freedom in sobriety. You can make the courageous decision to seek help now and begin the rewarding journey of recovery. Oceanfront Recovery, a men’s treatment facility in the heart of beautiful Laguna Beach, is staffed with compassionate professionals dedicated to helping clients develop all the tools needed to live a happier and more fulfilling life in sobriety. For information about individualized treatment options, please call today: (877) 279-1777
