Metta to the Multitudes Within: An Autistic Reframing of Lovingkindness
In traditional Buddhist practice, the Metta Prayer begins with these words: May I be filled with lovingkindness. It’s a wish for oneself, expanding gradually to include all beings.
But as an autistic person, I’ve often experienced the world as something that moves through me rather than something I reach out toward. “Aut” means self. Self-contained. For me, that doesn’t mean isolation—it means the multitudes, all beings, are already inside me.
So I’ve reworded the Metta Prayer in a way that speaks more directly to that truth:
May I be allowed to be who I am.
(Instead of “May I be filled with lovingkindness”)
May I know myself to be connected and a part of all of Life.
(Instead of “May I be safe from inner and outer dangers”)
May I be at peace, never need to negate anything in myself or in others.
(Instead of “May I be well in body and mind”)
May I experience simple joy, gratitude, and happiness in this moment.
(Instead of “May I be at ease and happy”)
This version isn’t meant to replace the traditional form—it’s just another doorway in. A way to meet ourselves where we are. A way to name our wholeness without forcing ourselves into borrowed language.
If this speaks to you, you're welcome to to sit with these words, revise them, or find your own. The heart of Metta is presence—and presence, for many of us, starts right here, with being allowed to be exactly who we are.
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