Metta

Metta is a word in the ancient language of the Buddha that means "loving kindness" or "friendliness".  It is the first of what we call in Refuge Recovery 'the heart practices" (and elsewhere in Buddhism).  There are four of them,  Metta, or loving kindness, Koruna, or Compassion, Mudita or appreciative joy and Upekkha or equanimity.    These four states of mind are also called the Divine Abodes, because living with such wonderful mind states is divine.  

In Sharon Salzberg's book Lovingkindness, she says that Metta is also translated as gentleness.  I have also heard it described as goodness, or our original goodness.  Either way I think you get the point, the exact translation is less important then just getting on with learning to embody it.  The beginning of practicing and cultivating Metta starts with two different things.   One is reading the Metta Sutta  
https://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html   is a ilnk to read it.
 It is suggested  to read it everyday as it has instructions for living that are incredibly helpful for everyone.

Second it meditating on Metta using the phrases and going through the stages.

Phrases such as "May you be happy",  "May you be safe ", "May you live with ease"  "May you be free from suffering"

The stages are as follows,  we first offer the phrases to ourselves,  then to a good friend, a benefactor, a neutral person, a difficult person and then to the entire world.  Offering the phrases and paying attention to what we notice, think and feel.  Slowly but surely our loving heart opens towards all beings, and especially towards ourselves.

My teacher suggested a meditation cycle of one day breath meditation and one day Metta for myself only.  Eventually we add in the others stages.

Please share your experience with Metta in the comments.  Questions as well!  Thanks for reading and I wish you much Metta!