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In the summer of last year I went on retreat at Vajraloka, an FWBO meditation centre situated in North Wales. The retreat concentrated on Metta Bhavana which gave me an excellent opportunity to consolidate my practice of this meditation as well as to iron out some misconceptions that had crept in. This article is based on my current understanding of Metta Bhavana which was largely shaped by my time on retreat. Metta is difficult to describe and its development is therefore easy to misunderstand. An error I can make when practising Metta Bhavana is trying to generate warm and pleasant feelings as opposed to emotional warmth and kindness. It is not possible to cultivate feelings directly and in my experience efforts to do so can leave me in a strange, or at least strained state. From a karmic point of view our feelings are the result of our past actions but it is our response to them in the present moment that represents the crux of the spiritual life and is where Metta Bhavana can have such radical effects. As discussed above, Metta Bhavana is an attempt to cultivate 'emotional warmth'. An emotion can be described as a ‘will to do’ and unlike pleasant feelings can occur regardless of how we feel. Whether I feel happy, sad or neutral I can wish happiness and relief from suffering for myself and others. Furthermore, the stronger I feel in relation to someone the more efficacious for change Metta Bhavana seems to be. For instance, I may feel real hatred for a person but by developing metta towards them I am turning into the ‘face’ of my strongest habits and responding more creatively. What should we concentrate on during Metta Bhavana if it isn’t good feelings? Like many people I recite verses of well-wishing such as, May I be well May I be happy May I be free from suffering May I grow spiritually [where the subject changes for each stage]. I try to focus on the intention behind the words, concentrating on the 'will for good' as opposed to any feelings I generate. This helps my practice become more heartfelt as opposed to dry and mechanical. I also balance such periods of active well-wishing with periods of receptivity by 'just sitting' and watching the response to what I am doing. This receptivity enables me to assimilate my experience further as well as to familiarise myself more with the workings of my mind. During a sit I check if metta is genuine by altering the 'mood' of my subject, and if I have merely developed warm feelings these are likely to falter or change, however, if my metta is real than its unconditional nature ensures it remains constant regardless of how or who my subject is. As my concentration deepens factors of joy, expanse, peace and energy will arise. It is important not to mistake these positive feelings as metta itself and fall into the trap of directly trying to develop them further. This is far easier said than done and I can often 'grasp' after these positive states the moment they arise instead of giving them room to be in my experience with whatever else is present. Never is mindfulness needed more! Only deepening concentration during the practice of Metta Bhavana (as in the Mindfulness of Breathing) generates pleasant feelings. The infinite potential of metta (trans. universal loving kindness) ensures its development will be an ever deepening and changing experience and therefore this article will never be complete but will always be work in progress. Metta Bhavana has had a radical effect on myself and the way I view the world and is something I’m very grateful for being taught. [contents] [top] [print] | ||||