Ajahn Sumedho

Metta is more like unconditional love. It is this welcoming, a kind of generosity, an uncritical acceptance of the whole range of phenomena in whatever form it takes. As many of you know, we develop metta beginning with ourselves. The formula we use is something like: ‘May I abide in wellbeing. ’ So the first part of the practice is always directed towards yourself, just learning to accept yourself for what you are. That means welcoming and accepting everything about yourself ? your dark side, your good side, your bright side, your stupid side, your evil side, whatever ? learning to accept uncritically even the things you really don’t like about yourself. And this I found most difficult.

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Original publication: Don’t Take Your Life Personally, by Ajahn Sumedho. Buddhist Publishing Group, 2010. Excerpt published here with thanks.