I have been searching for the past few days for a technique that evokes the emotions and perceptions one would have in the case of being physically attacked in order to familiarize myself with the emotions and to learn to cultivate metta and karuna in such situations. Fortunately, I have memories of being jumped as a teenager and young adult to work with and ample fear to help generate plausible scenarios in meditation.
I realized that I may need to formally practice with this type of visualization a few days ago as I had walked into a public bathroom in the middle of a housing complex. I noticed two guys walking around the periphery and felt horror when I realized my first repair was to arm myself and prepare to fight if they decided to mug me. In that moment, I truly felt at a loss and realized that I didn’t have sufficient depth of practice to call upon metta or karuna.
As a result, I am going to spend 15 minutes a day working on visualizations where I’m threatened with our assault being physically harmed to learn how to engender nonviolent responses in line with the Parable of the Saw. May we all live in peace.
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
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