Imagination-Based Loving-Kindness and Compassion Meditation: A New Meditation Method Developed from Chinese Buddhism.
Journal of Religion and Health August 1, 2022 Junyi Hao, Chang Liu, Shaozhen Feng et al.
A meditation method from Chinese Buddhism, developed by Zhiyi, uses imagination to cultivate loving-kindness and compassion, limiting the content of imagination during practice. This contrasts with Theravada Buddhist free association and Tibetan Buddhist tonglen methods. Zhiyi's approach may be more suitable for participants without religious beliefs because it involves helping others entirely through imagination. The article outlines a mental-health training program based on this method and discusses its limitations and future research directions, noting that empirical studies are needed to compare its effects and applicability with other meditation methods.