Metta softens and relaxes us, so we can drop our endless struggles and fall into the freedom of sweet relief.

Metta to self is traditionally a starting point for Metta practice. Yet this is challenging for many of us as we work with our pain, judgments and demons. As we develop in Metta to self, we bring Metta out into the world, which deeply needs it. This requires a lot of creativity. We end by exploring the coverage needed to bring Metta into the world, and the need for a "tough metta" -- a Metta able to respond to difficult situations, a Metta that is neither passive nor a pushover.

How the loveliness of a pure heart is so readily accessible; how Metta infuses mindfulness, and the dangers of misunderstanding "love."

This talk discusses the qualities of metta, and the unity of mindfulness and metta -- and how compassion arises as a natural turning of the loving heart.

Metta is a powerful practice that helps us lead with our hearts, develop concentration, and "purify" our bodies, hearts and minds, working through obstacles to metta and touching our deep luminosity. Yet metta sometimes seems opposed to wisdom and mindfulness practice, and particularly to equanimity. We explore the qualities of equanimity and then how mature metta requires equanimity and mature equanimity requires metta.

Mudita and the other Brahma Viharas. How wisdom protects equanimity -- and how equanimity if the birthplace of Metta, Compassion and Joy