Dear Friends,
Christina Feldman closes the first chapter on Immeasurable Kindness by discussing bringing metta into what she calls “the world of events and experience”. She notes that aversion can pop up in many scenarios, not just in the realm of human relationships. We can bring this quality of metta to whatever circumstances we encounter.
Christina writes,
We learn again and again, with mindfulness and clear intention, that we have choices about where we make our home—in the contracted home of aversion and fear or in the spacious home of metta.
page 51
There are various ways of practicing metta. Many books, teachers, and guided meditations use the repetition of phrases as a way to set the intention for kindness. We start with a small circle of beings and gradually expand to include more and more. This technique was outlined in the Visuddhimagga, an ancient text from around the 5th century CE.
Another way to practice is to let go of the phrases and focus on the felt-sense of kindness, and then allowing that to radiate out in all directions. This is based on a passage that shows up in several suttas:
I will abide pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth;
so above, below, around, and everywhere, and to all as to myself,I will abide pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, and without ill will.
https://media.audiodharma.org/documents/Abundant_Exalted_Immeasurable.pdf
I generally relate better to this format of radiating metta. I like the way that it doesn’t separate people into categories or require me to “visualize” people.
When Adrianne Ross led a retreat in Saskatoon in January 2017, she led us in this form of the practice one day. You can listen to the recording here:
http://saskatooninsight.com/recordings/201701AdrianneRoss/20170129.03%20guided%20metta%20meditation.mp3
I do sometimes find the phrases useful when the mind is really busy and won’t settle down, or when drowsiness is strong. I also like the phrases as a touch-point in daily life interactions – walking down the street, driving, waiting in line. I can look at the people in the vicinity and genuinely connect to that heartfelt wish for safety, happiness, health, and ease.
What are your favorite ways to practice metta? Do you have a set of phrases you prefer? How have things shifted over time? It can be fun to reflect on this from time to time. I invite you to share your reflections here on the blog. We can learn a lot from each other!
Warmest wishes
Andrea
Thank you Andrea – I really enjoyed that meditation- from a felt sense – so lovely ?
I’ve never tried emanating the felt sense of kindness above, below, all around, and to all as to myself. I usually use the simple phrase “be well, be happy”. I’ll try this approach visualizing metta radiating all around and see what happens. Thanks!