A beginner's guide to: Meditation (compassion)

loving-kindness meditation, compassion meditation, empathy meditation, kindness meditation

Compassion meditation focuses on cultivating feelings of kindness and empathy toward yourself and others, fostering emotional resilience, reducing stress and strengthening connections with those around you.

In a hurry and don't have any questions?

  1. Check out our safety recommendations.

  2. Begin by taking slow and calm breaths.

  3. If it's safe to do so, close your eyes.

  4. Focus on bringing a gentle smile to your face.

  5. Generate genuine wishes of happiness and good health for yourself and then for others.

  6. When you are ready, head to our Practice Guides and get started.

Looking for detailed practice guides? Hang tight, they are coming soon!

What is meditation (compassion)?

Compassion meditation (or metta meditation) is a practice that helps you nurture a sense of kindness, compassion and empathy – first for yourself, and then for others. This meditation guides you through extending these feelings outward, starting with loved ones, then acquaintances and eventually toward everyone, even people you might find difficult.

For beginners, compassion meditation can be a powerful way to develop emotional resilience and reduce negative feelings like anger or frustration. It’s simple but effective, helping to shift your mindset toward a more compassionate and understanding perspective. Whether you're looking to enhance your emotional wellbeing, deepen your relationships or develop a kinder outlook on life, compassion meditation offers a gentle yet profound way to do so.

Are you ready to feel that warm glow of self-compassion? Keep reading for more details to get you on the right track.

Why meditation (compassion) is good for you

Compassion meditation promotes emotional resilience and calm, offering profound benefits for mental, emotional and even physical wellbeing. There are so many good reasons to practice this meditation technique. Read on to learn more.

Emotional resilience

Emotional well-being

Increased empathy

Emotional well-being, Social well-being

Positive emotions

Emotional well-being

Mental clarity

Intellectual well-being, Self well-being

Physical health benefits

Physical well-being

People who love meditation (compassion)

Sharon Salzberg

Person

Tom Hardy

Actor

The All Blacks Rugby Team

Sports

The Midnight Gospel

TV Show

Real people's experiences

Starting meditation (compassion)? Read this first

Has your interest been piqued for this heart warming meditation technique? This activity is great for everyone. And the good news? It can be easily woven into your day with short practice sessions that still pack a punch in the way of benefits! Check out the rest of the information below so you can make this meditation your own!

Safety

⚠️

Opt for a space where you can give your full attention to the practice.

What you might experience

🤔

"How do I even begin to feel compassion?"

😬

"Why is it so hard to stay focused?"

😊

"I’m starting to feel more connected."

😌

"It’s getting easier to extend these feelings."

😊

"I feel lighter, maybe even happier."

Getting started guides coming soon...

Are you ready to start compassion meditation?

We are busy working on detailed getting started guides and individual practice guides to follow.

What you need to know about meditation (compassion)

Let's compare three different ways to start compassion meditation for the first time: Self-Led (Using Online Guided Sources), Group (IRL), and 1:1 with an Instructor (online or IRL).

Compare

Recommendation for first-timer

Availability

Average cost per session

Special equipment required

Potential for socialisation & community

Safety & skill building

Space or privacy required

Ease of scheduling

Setup time

Active practice time

Unexpected advantages

Ancestry, history, facts and other trivia

A study showed that compassion meditation can increase empathy in participants, confirmed by brain imaging technology.

The concept of "Metta" in compassion meditation translates to "loving-kindness" in Pali.

The popular Netflix show "Headspace Guide to Meditation" features episodes on compassion meditation.

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” - The Dalai Lama

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3 facts

Popular memes

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7 memes

Academic research we rate

Psychological and Physiological Effects of Compassionate Mind Training: a Pilot Randomised Controlled Study

Matos, M., Duarte, C., Duarte, J., Pinto-Gouveia, J., Petrocchi, N., Basran, J., & Gilbert, P. (2017). Psychological and Physiological Effects of Compassionate Mind Training: a Pilot Randomised Controlled Study. Mindfulness, 8(6), 1699–1712. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-017-0745-7

Positive Emotion Correlates of Meditation Practice: a Comparison of Mindfulness Meditation and Loving-Kindness Meditation

Fredrickson, B. L., Boulton, A. J., Firestine, A. M., Van Cappellen, P., Algoe, S. B., Brantley, M. M., Kim, S. L., Brantley, J., & Salzberg, S. (2017). Positive Emotion Correlates of Meditation Practice: a Comparison of Mindfulness Meditation and Loving-Kindness Meditation. Mindfulness, 8(6), 1623–1633. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-017-0735-9

A Meta-Analysis of Compassion-Based Interventions: Current State of Knowledge and Future Directions

Kirby, J. N., Tellegen, C. L., & Steindl, S. R. (2017). A Meta-Analysis of Compassion-Based Interventions: Current State of Knowledge and Future Directions. Behavior Therapy, 48(6), 778–792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2017.06.003

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7 research pieces

Introduction guides from around the web

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