Podcast Summary
Metta meditation practices: Metta meditation practices, part of the Brahma Viharas, have significant psychological, physiological, and behavioral benefits, including promoting generosity and kindness towards oneself and others.
Meditation practices like loving kindness or metta can have significant psychological, physiological, and behavioral benefits, particularly in an age of anxiety. Devin Barry, a long-time meditation practitioner and teacher, shares his personal journey from skepticism to deep study and practice of metta. He explains how it's part of the Brahma Viharas, or four related mental skills, and how these practices can help both on and off the meditation cushion. Devin also discusses the origins of metta practice and its role in cultivating generosity and kindness towards oneself and others. For those interested in personal growth, Dan Harris encourages signing up for his newsletter and checking out the Healthy Habits course on the 10% Happier app.
Meta loving-kindness meditation: Resisting meta loving-kindness meditation can prevent us from experiencing its benefits, but approaching it with an open mind and focusing on well-wishing can lead to goodwill, friendliness, and joy.
During our meditation practice, especially when it comes to meta-M-E-T-T-A loving-kindness meditation, it's common to resist it due to past experiences or misconceptions. However, this practice, which focuses on well-wishing, wishing ourselves and others well, can bring significant benefits if approached with an open mind. Meta, a quality of the heart in Buddhist cosmology, is associated with goodwill, friendliness, loving kindness, benevolence, and joy. In formal practice, one can use phrases like "May I be happy and peaceful?" as pointers to connect with the sense and feeling underneath the words. Starting with easy phrases or people can help make the practice more enjoyable and effective. It's important to remember that the goal is not to force unconditional love but to cultivate a sense of ease and well-being.
Brahma Vihara practices: Brahma Vihara practices, including metta (loving-kindness), equanimity, sympathetic joy, and compassion, help navigate complexities and challenges without separation, hatred, or disengagement, fostering engagement and advocacy without fear or hatred.
Practicing metta (loving-kindness) and other Brahma Vihara practices can help us navigate the complexities and challenges of the world without resorting to separation, hatred, or disengagement. These practices, which include equanimity, sympathetic joy, and compassion, are interconnected and can help us stay engaged with the world in a more wholesome and effective way. By cultivating non-separation, we can see others as fellow human beings and share space with them, even in the face of differences and disagreements. This is particularly important in times of social and political turmoil, such as during a presidential election cycle. Through these practices, we can stay engaged with the world and advocate for what we believe in, without being driven by hatred or fear. The Brahma Vihara practices are not about papering over differences or being passive, but rather about inclining the mind towards the more wholesome and gladdening.
Meditation and Equanimity: Consistent meditation practice, particularly focusing on equanimity, can lead to the natural arising of qualities like compassion, loving-kindness, and sympathetic joy, even without formal practice of them. Equanimity can be practiced on the cushion by acknowledging the present moment without judgment or reaction.
Consistent meditation practice, whether it's insight, loving-kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), or sympathetic joy (mudita), can lead to the natural arising of these qualities, even without formal practice of them. Equanimity, or the ability to remain balanced and unbiased in the face of suffering or joy, plays a crucial role in all of these practices. To practice equanimity on the cushion, one can pause and acknowledge the present moment without judgment or reaction, allowing for a deeper understanding and connection to the experience. Additionally, using personalized phrases during meditation can help deepen the practice and make it more meaningful. For compassion practice, focusing on the feeling of wanting to help and support someone in their suffering can lead to a deeper understanding and connection to the experience. For sympathetic joy practice, focusing on the joy and success of others, even in the presence of jealousy or envy, can help cultivate a greater sense of happiness and well-being.
Equanimity and Loving-kindness: Equanimity is the practice of being present and accepting the current moment, even with difficult emotions. Loving-kindness (metta) practice can help cultivate equanimity and overcome fear.
Equanimity is the practice of being present and accepting the current moment, even when it involves difficult emotions like shame, guilt, or fear. The Buddha introduced the practice of loving-kindness (metta) as a way to cultivate equanimity and overcome fear. The story goes that monks in the forest were unable to practice due to disturbances from mythological beings. The Buddha taught them the metta sutra, and after chanting it, the beings were calmed, allowing the monks to continue their practice. Equanimity is not just a protective practice but also an antidote to fear, helping us to be with difficult emotions rather than trying to escape or fabricate alternative stories. The formal practice of equanimity can involve sitting like a mountain, bringing a difficult situation to mind, and repeating the phrase "tatramajatata" to remind oneself to be present with the current moment.
Metta practice: Metta practice involves cultivating a kind and open heart, wishing well to others, and practicing generosity and ethical principles, leading to positive change in one's life and in the world.
Practicing metta, or loving-kindness, is an essential component of the Buddhist path, especially for those who find mindfulness practices challenging. Metta is not just about wishing well to others, but also about cultivating generosity, ethical principles, and a kind and open heart. It's a practical and helpful practice that can bring about positive change in one's life and in the world. The Buddha didn't just teach mindfulness; he also emphasized the importance of other practices like metta. By focusing on metta and generosity, we can access the transformative power of these practices and make a difference in our own lives and in the lives of others.
Generosity and Kindness: Practicing generosity and kindness leads to releasing attachment, deepening relationships, and increasing concentration, fostering compassion, sympathetic joy, and friendliness.
Practicing generosity and kindness, as taught by the Buddha, is a form of letting go and an essential step towards enlightenment. This was exemplified by Sujata's act of generosity towards the Buddha, which provided him the strength to continue his meditation practice. Devin's year-long experiment with focusing on generosity and letting go led to life-changing experiences, deepened relationships, and even increased concentration through the practice of META meditation. By being generous and kind, we can release attachment and see ourselves as part of an interconnected web, fostering compassion, sympathetic joy, and friendliness.
Meta practice: Consistent practice, neutral mindset, and acceptance are crucial for deep concentration and unification of the mind. Desire and greed hinder the process, while practices like generosity and letting go can enhance it.
The practice of meta, or deep concentration and unification of the mind, requires consistency, time, and a focus on the practice itself rather than the desired outcome. Desire and greed can hinder the process, and it's important to approach meta practice with a neutral mindset. The Buddhist phrase "it's good in the beginning, middle, and end" can help cultivate contentment and acceptance throughout the practice. Additionally, clearing the mind through practices like generosity and letting go can enhance the meta practice and insight practice. The experience may include moments of clarity and moments of struggle, but the practice is still valuable regardless. To learn more, visit Devin Barry's website, DevinBerry.org, or check out the retreats he offers at Dharma.org.
