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"May we be the bridge and boat to cross the water": Community-engaged research on metta meditation.

Ariana Thompson-Lastad, Shah Noor Hussein, Jessica M. Harrison, Xiaoyu Jennifer Zhang, Mushim P. Ikeda, Maria T Chao, Shelley R Adler, Helen Y. Weng

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry January 9, 2025 DOI: 10.1037/ort0000823 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Qualitative study Peer reviewed
Sample size 47
Population LGBTQ+ adults (62% lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex or asexual; 23% Asian, 19% Black, 13% Hispanic/Latina/o, 32% White, 24% multiracial)
Intervention Metta meditation
Topics Meditation
Keywords Compassion practice Benevolent meditation Mindfulness of love Communal health Social flourishing Group welfare Community resilience Connection Bonds Co-design Community-based research Partnership model
Key findings Metta meditation supported participants in navigating stressors and injustice, and community-based spaces designed for belonging can connect contemplative practice with social change efforts.

Abstract

= 47; 62% lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex or asexual; 23% Asian, 19% Black, 13% Hispanic/Latina/o, 32% White, 24% multiracial). Qualitative analysis identified three central themes: (1) the importance of a community of practice for creating a sense of belonging (including during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic); (2) the benefits of metta practice for cultivating compassion and equanimity; and (3) the use of metta practice to cope with harmful situations, including individual-level stressors and structural oppression. Metta meditation supported participants in navigating stressors and injustice. Community-based spaces designed to cultivate belonging among diverse communities can support people to connect contemplative practice with their efforts for social change. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan... 2017 Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system 2004 Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety 2006 Exploratory mixed methods study n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context 2001 Qualitative study n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators 2013 Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

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