Lovingkindness By Rev. Anne Spencer You may be familiar with the Metta Meditation, which expresses our loving kindness toward all living beings. When we held our pet memorial service at the temple in February, we included a version of the Metta meditation as the final slide of our pet appreciation slide show: May all beings be well May all beings be happy May all beings be loved May all beings prosper Metta reflects the Buddhist understanding that all beings regardless of size, shape, lifespan, or intelligence should be treated with kindness and respect. Buddhist teachings grow out of Hinduism. Both traditions share an understanding of the world that involves rebirth or “reincarnation.” In this view, when any being dies it is reborn in another form. The form it is reborn in depends on the karma (the positive or negative energy) it has created by its actions in past lives. If it has lived a good live—being kind, patient, and generous—it will be reborn as a “higher” animal. But if it has...