Exploring the interrelationships between mettā / kindness, compassion, muditā / gladness and equanimity

Understanding the 11 benefits of practicing Metta along with mindfulness of the loveability of the difficult person and all beings can lead to happiness and freedom of the mind from annoyance.

How do we bring our practice to challenging conversations and discussions, including there are major differences in views and positions, whether on spiritual or social-politlcal or daily life matters? This is both a perennial practice question and a particularly important one in the current times. We begin our first of two explorations inviting the participants to explore both their most successful and their most difficult or painful discussions across differences, asking about the qualities present with both. We outline first some current social conditions that make discussions with differences more challenging, while acknowledging that such discussions are at the heart of a healthy democracy. Then we explore several supports for skillful conversations when there are differences, including shared agreements (among individuals or in a group or organization), wise speech practice, the vision of the "beloved community" or universal metta, and a commitment to align means and ends. The talk is followed by discussion.

In this evening talk, devon hase reflects on metta as a simple act of caring — the willingness to stay close to our own experience, even when it feels plain or uncertain. Through stories of early practice, pilgrimage, and everyday kindness, she shows how love reveals itself in ordinary moments, asking nothing special of us beyond our presence.

Meditation, Dharma talk, & short Metta practice

After an introduction to metta meditation, a guided meditation which includes the categories of benefactor, self, dear friend and a neutral being.