Reflections on Karma and Metta (Retreat at Spirit Rock)

Day 3 Instructional Sit

Opening the sense of awareness and letting it have the flavour of kind welcoming to all phenomena.

An exploration of the Metta/Kindness, Compassion, Appreciative Joy and Equanimity and the interrelationships between them.

Includes a guided metta (loving-kindness) practice for oneself and an easy person.

Different ways of presenting Dhamma in Theravada Buddhism (single-pointed, ‘dry insight’; Thai forest). Are there certain thought patterns that are related to nervous energy in the body? How do you do discharge? Metta practice as cultivating non-aversive, non-contractive state rather than a doing/sending out. Clarifying the term ‘fields’. Qi Gong questions (is it normal to get so hot while practicing Qi Gong? Is it good to use wu qi for standing meditation?); Responding to sexual awareness in the presence of others. Skillfully handling trauma that are still alive. Distinction between perception and consciousness. How feelings and emotions are experienced in Samadhi. Reclining meditation

This short talk and guided meditation remind us that we each have the capacity to awaken our hearts. We explore together the lovingkindness (metta) meditation, and emphasize holding our own being and dear ones with a tender, open and loving presence.

Metta practice, benefactor.

Wisdom and compassion, different expressions of the one mind. Deliverance of the heart through metta: Talk followed by Guided Meditation