One should spend some time every day to practice loving-kindness. We recommend that you repeat the following outline every time you practice loving-kindness meditation. If you know a better structure other than this you may follow it. Read each paragraph once and then close your eyes and reflect upon the meaning of that paragraph for ten seconds. Open your eyes and read the next paragraph. You might take more than an hour to read these passages and feel loving-kindness in your entire mind and body. Do it every day. This alone is a wonderful meditation to overcome resentment that has been troubling you for a long time.

1. May I be well, happy and peaceful. May no harm come to me. May no difficulties come to me. May no problems come to me. May I always meet with success. May I also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

2. May my parents be well, happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them. May no difficulties come to them. May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success. May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

3. May my teachers be well, happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them. May no difficulties come to them. May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success. May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

4. May my relatives be well, happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them. May no difficulties come to them, May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success. May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

5. May my friends be well, happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them. May no difficulties come to them. May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success. May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

6. May all indifferent persons be well, happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them. May no difficulties come to them. May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success.

May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

7. May all unfriendly persons be well, happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them. May no difficulties come to them. May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success. May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

8. May all living beings be well, happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them. May no difficulties come to them. May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success.

May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

1.  May I be happy, and free from suffering!

And, always, like my self

may my friends, neutral persons,

and the hostile be happy too.

2. May all beings in this village,

in this state, in other countries,

and in the world systems

be ever happy.

3. May all persons, individuals,

beings, creatures

in all world systems

be ever happy.

4. So too, may all women, men,

noble ones, non-noble ones,

gods, humans, and beings

in the lower worlds be happy.

May all beings in the ten directions be happy

May I be free from hatred! May I be free from affliction! May I be free from worry! May I live happily! As I am, so also may my parents, teachers, preceptors, friendly, indifferent, and hostile beings, be free from hatred! May they be free from affliction! May they be free from worry! May they live happily! May they be released from suffering! May they not be deprived of their fortune, duly acquired! All of us have Kamma as our own possession.

May all beings have happy minds!

Whatever living beings there may be

without exception, weak or strong,

long, large, middling

short, subtle, or gross,

visible or invisible,

living near or far,

born or coming to birth

may all beings have happy minds!

Let no one deceive another

nor despise anyone anywhere.

Neither in anger nor enmity

should anyone wish harm to another.

As a mother would risk her own life

to protect her only child,

even so towards all living beings

one should cultivate a boundless heart.

One should cultivate for all the world

a heart of boundless loving-kindness

above, below, and all around,

unobstructed, without hate or enmity.

Whether standing, walking or sitting,

lying down or whenever awake,

one should develop this mindfulness;

this is called divinely dwelling here.

May those with no feet receive my love;

May those with two feet receive my love;

May those with four feet receive my love;

May those with many feet receive my love;

May those with no feet not hurt me

May those with two feet not hurt me

May those with four feet not hurt me

May those with many feet not hurt me

May all beings, all those with life,

May all who have become, all in their entirety,

May all see what is good

May suffering not come to anyone.

May the suffering be free from suffering.

May the fear-struck be free from fear.

May the grieving be free from grief.

so too may all beings be.

From the highest realm of existence to the lowest,

may all beings arisen in these realms

with form and without form,

with perception and without perception

be released from all suffering

May my mind be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May I be generous! May I be gentle! May I be relaxed! May I be happy and peaceful! May I be healthy! May my heart become soft! May my words be pleasing to others!

1 May all that I see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help me to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May all of them help me to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness! May all of them help me to relax and activate my friendly behavior! May all of them be a source of peace and happiness. May they help my personality! May they help me to be healthy! May all of them help me to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!

Whether I walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may I meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May I be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

2 May the minds of my parents be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May they be generous! May they be gentle! May they be relaxed! May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy! May their hearts become soft! May their words be pleasing to others!

May all that my parents see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness! May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior! May all of them be a source of peace and happiness. May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!

Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

3 May the minds of my teachers be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May they be generous! May they be gentle! May they be relaxed! May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy! May their hearts become soft! May their words be pleasing to others!

May all that my teachers see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness! May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior! May all of them be a source of peace and happiness. May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!

Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

 4. May the minds of my relatives be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May they be generous! May they be gentle! May they be relaxed! May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy! May their hearts become soft! May their words be pleasing to others!

May all that my relatives see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think see help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness! May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior! May all of them be a source of peace and happiness. May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!

Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

5. May the minds of my friends be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May they be generous! May they be gentle! May they be relaxed! May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy! May their hearts become soft! May their words be pleasing to others!

May all that my friends see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness! May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior! May all of them be a source of peace and happiness. May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!

Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

6. May the minds of all indifferent persons be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May they be generous! May they be gentle! May they be relaxed! May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy! May their hearts become soft! May their words be pleasing to others!

May all that all indifferent persons see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness! May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior! May all of them be a source of peace and happiness. May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!

Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

7. May the minds of all unfriendly persons be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May they be generous! May they be gentle! May they be relaxed! May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy! May their hearts become soft! May their words be pleasing to others!

May all that all unfriendly persons see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness! May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior! May all of them be a source of peace and happiness. May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!

Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

8. May the minds of all living beings be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May they be generous! May they be gentle! May they be relaxed! May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy! May their hearts become soft! May their words be pleasing to others!

May all that all living beings see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity! May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness! May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior! May all of them be a source of peace and happiness. May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!

Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

Let each and every one of us think that our minds are free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let the thought of loving-kindness embrace us, envelope us. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of our entire bodies and minds be charged with the thought of friendliness. Let us relax the body. Let us relax the mind. Let our body and mind be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade our entire bodies and minds.

Let us expand the area of our thought of friendship to the entire room that you are sitting in and wish that each and everyone in this room be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

Let us direct our minds in the eastern direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

Let us direct our minds to the south-eastern direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

Let us direct our minds to the southern direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

Let us direct our minds to the south-western direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

Let us direct our minds to the western direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

Let us direct our minds to the north-western direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

Let us direct our minds to the northern direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

Let us direct our minds to the north-eastern direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

Let us direct our minds to the celestial direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

Let us direct our minds to the terrestrial direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May all beings in all directions, all around the universe be beautiful; let them be happy; let them have good fortune; let them be wealthy; let them be famous; let them have good friends; let them after death be reborn in heavens.

May all beings everywhere be filled with the feeling of loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, measureless, free from enmity, free from affliction and anxiety. May they live happily.

May all those who are imprisoned legally or illegally, all who are in police custody anywhere in the world waiting trials meet with peace and happiness. May they be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May all of them in all directions, all around the universe be beautiful; let them be happy; let them have good fortune; let them be wealthy; let them be famous; let them have good friends; let them after death be reborn in heavens.

May all who are in hospitals suffering from numerous sicknesses meet with peace and happiness. May they be free from pain, afflictions, depression, disappointment, dissatisfaction, anxiety and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May all of them in all directions, all around the universe be beautiful; let them be happy; let them have good fortune; let them be wealthy; let them be famous; let them have good friends; let them after death be reborn in heavens.

May all mothers who are in pain in delivering babies meet with peace and happiness. May they be free from pain, afflictions, depression, disappointment, dissatisfaction, anxiety and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May all of them in all directions, all around the universe be beautiful; let them be happy; let them have good fortune; let them be wealthy; let them be famous; let them have good friends; let them after death be reborn in heavens.

May all single parents taking care of their children meet with peace and happiness. May they be free from pain, afflictions, depression, disappointment, dissatisfaction, anxiety and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May all of them in all directions, all around the universe be beautiful; let them be happy; let them have good fortune; let them be wealthy; let them be famous; let them have good friends; let them after death be reborn in heavens.

May all children abused by adults in numerous ways meet with peace and happiness. May they be free from pain, afflictions, depression, disappointment, dissatisfaction, anxiety and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May all of them in all directions, all around the universe be beautiful; let them be happy; let them have good fortune; let them be wealthy; let them be famous; let them have good friends; let them after death be reborn in heavens.

May all rulers be gentle, kind, generous, compassionate, considerate and have best understanding of the oppressed, underprivileged, discriminated and the poverty-stricken. May their hearts melt at the suffering of the unfortunate citizens. May they be free from pain, afflictions, depression, free from disappointment, dissatisfaction, anxiety and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May the oppressed, underprivileged, discriminated and the poverty-stricken meet with peace and happiness. May they be free from pain, afflictions, depression, free from disappointment, dissatisfaction, anxiety and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquillity of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.