Throughout our lives we long to love ourselves more deeply and find a greater sense of connection with others. Our fear of intimacy both with others and with ourselves creates feelings of pain and longing. But these feelings can also awaken in us the desire for freedom and the willingness to take up the spiritual path.

In this inspiring book, Sharon Salzberg, one of America's leading spiritual teachers, shows us how the Buddhist path of lovingkindness (metta in Pali), can help us discover the radiant, joyful heart within each of us. This practice of lovingkindness is revolutionary because it has the power to radically change our lives, helping us create true happiness in ourselves and genuine compassion for others. The Buddha described the nature of such a spiritual path as "the liberation of the heart, which is love." The author draws on simple Buddhist teachings, wisdom stories from various traditions, guided meditation practices, and her own experience from twenty-five years of practice and teaching to illustrate how each one of us can cultivate love, compassion, joy, and equanimity the four "heavenly abodes" of traditional Buddhism.

Lovingkindness, Sharon Salzberg, Shambhala Publications, Pocket Book, 251 pages, $12.95

Sharon Salzberg has studied and practiced meditation with Burmese, Indian, and Tibetan teachers for the past twenty-five years. She is cofounder of the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies and the Insight Meditation Society. Salzberg directs meditation retreats throughout the United States and abroad.

Foreword ix
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1

1. THE REVOLUTIONARY ART OF HAPPINESS 7

2. RELEARNING LOVELINESS 18
Exercise: Remembering the Good within You 28
Exercise: Phrases of Lovingkindness 29

3. FACETS OF LOVINGKINDNESS 33
Exercise: The Benefits of Lovingkindness 45
Exercise: The Benefactor 45

4. HINDRANCES TO LOVINGKINDNESS 48
Exercise: Reflection on Happiness 58
Exercise: The Meaning of Friends 59
Exercise: The Beloved Friend 59
Exercise: The Neutral Person 60

5. WORKING WITH ANGER AND AVERSION 62
Exercise: Forgiveness 75
Exercise: Seeing Goodness 77
Exercise: The Difficult Person 78
Exercise: Difficult Aspects of Oneself 82

6. BREAKING OPEN THE LOVING HEART 83
Exercise: Lovingkindness for All Beings 97
Exercise: Lovingkindness toward Groups 98
Exercise: Walking Meditation 99
Exercise: The Ten Directions 100

7. DEVELOPING THE COMPASSIONATE HEART 102
Exercise: Meditation on Compassion 116
Exercise: Compassion for Those Who Cause Pain 117

8. LIBERATING THE MIND THROUGH SYMPATHETIC JOY 119
Exercise: Meditation on Sympathetic Joy 134
Exercise: Sharing Merit 135

9. THE GIFT OF EQUANIMITY 136
Exercise: Equanimity 152

10. THE POWER OF GENEROSITY 154
Exercise: Giving 167

11. LIVING OUR LOVE 171
Exercise: The Practice of Morality 190

For More Information 194
Credits 195