Reducing hate towards someone is necessary to leading a peaceful and happy life, which you can achieve by adhering to the ways taught by Buddha himself(1). According to Buddha, hatred is one of the human emotions that is hard to dispel once arisen, but he also offers the solution to it(1). Buddha teaches that if you have resentment towards someone, it can be reduced or even removed in five ways(1):

  1. Developing love and kindness towards the person you resent. 
  2. Developing compassion for the person you resent.
  3. Developing equanimity toward the person you resent.
  4. Disregarding the person you resent and paying no attention to him or her.
  5. Applying the idea of the ownership of Karma (the spiritual principle of cause and effect) to the person you resent. This way, you can believe that the person’s life is controlled by good or bad Karma, which is why there is no need for your anger.

By following these five principles offered by Buddha, you will be able to get rid of hatred you feel towards others(1). One effective meditation technique you can practice to reduce hatred towards another person is the Loving-Kindness and Compassion Prayer(2).  

Meditation to Get Rid of Hatred

Loving-Kindness Meditation is one of the key techniques that can help you reduce hate towards someone(1). It is also one of the primary Buddhist meditation methods, which has earned global popularity(3). It is believed that Buddha first taught the practice of Loving-Kindness Meditation to a group of monks so they could meditate in a particular forest. He did so to help them transform the negative atmosphere of the forest with compassion(3). 

A research article published in the Clinical Psychology Review(4) suggests that Loving-Kindness and Compassion Meditation has the potential to increase positive psychological effects. The practice can help to treat different psychological problems like depression, social anxiety, marital conflict, anger, and others. 

Another study published in the Emotion journal(5) informs that Loving-Kindness Meditation can increase social connectedness. Regular practice of the technique can enhance positive social emotions and decrease social isolation, resulting in improved mental and physical health. 

Download the Ruhgu app and try out the overcoming hate meditation now.

 

References

  1. Wisdom Publications | The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A Complete Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya by Bhikkhu Bodhi | Page 773
  2. positivepsychology.com | What is Loving-Kindness Meditation by Madhuleena Roy Chowdhury | Guided Meditation for Loving-Kindness and Compassion Prayer
  3. Wisdom Publications | Loving-Kindness in Plain English: The Practice of Metta by Henepola Gunaratana | Page 1
  4. Clinical Psychology Review | Volume 31, Issue 7 | 2011 | Page 1126-1132 | Loving-Kindness and Compassion Meditation: Potential for Psychological Interventions by Stefan G. Hofmann, Paul Grossman and Devon E. Hinton
  5. Emotion | Volume 8, Issue 5 | 2008 | Page 720–724 | Loving-Kindness Meditation Increases Social Connectedness by C. A. Hutcherson, E. M. Seppala and J. J. Gross