JoAnna Hardy – BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 50 – Self Love and Metta Practice

Insight Meditation teacher JoAnna Hardy returns to the BHNN Guest Podcast for a dharma talk about reframing the idea of love, and cultivating self love through Metta practice.

Reframing Love

We all have a complicated relationship with ourselves. For some of us, loving ourselves isn’t very easy, so we need to reframe our idea of love. JoAnna talks about her struggles with self love, and her journey with Metta, or loving-kindness, practice.

“I didn’t feel like I deserved kindness or benevolence or care, so I needed a forgiveness practice first.” – JoAnna Hardy

Explore Metta Practice for All with Gil Fronsdal on BHNN Guest Podcast Ep. 47
Metta Practice (8:46)

JoAnna offers an exercise centered on being completely at ease. This leads right into a round of Metta practice focused on cultivating self love.

“You deserve this. You deserve ease and peace.” – JoAnna Hardy

Love and Trust (30:00)

JoAnna answers questions from the audience about learning to trust other people and how to incorporate Metta exercises into your current practice. She talks about how love looks like different things to different people, and to explore what love looks like for you.

“I recommend doing Metta practice everyday, if possible. I think it’s a really great way to bookend a formal sitting practice.” – JoAnna Hardy

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