February 25, 2006
Confession & Metta Cultivation
Brahma Vihara
Metta Cultivation
Zange
Silent Meditation
Most Buddhists know the term metta. It is the "Ji" of Jihi. Metta is the Pali term. The Sanskrit is "Maitri", as in Maitreya. Synonyms might be agape, amour, simpatico, kindness, amity, and good will. We can also define it in terms of opposites. The far opposite of metta/maitri is dosa/dvesa, translated as aversion, hatred & anger; while near 'opposites' would be excessive attachment, allurement, eros, avarice, or greed {lobha}, and lust {kama}.
Metta Bhavana {cultivation} is a practice to cultivate loving kindness. This is often done as a guided silent meditation. I worked the metta cultivation into the Zange and Mantra Powered Chakra Visualization Ritual. Here are two recorded guided metta meditations {Real Player needed}:
This one explains how the process works; how affection is expanded from a conditional & partial attachment to an unconditioned or universal loving kindness:
guided metta meditation2
This is an actual guided meditation session:
))))))))))>mettawaves<((((((((((
Zange or Sange is the Buddhist form of Confession & Repentance. I suspect there is a basis in the Pali Canon. It is elaborated on in the Great Compassion Dharani Sutra and the Samantabhadra Meditation Sutra. There is also the Tiantai Meditation Manual Fa-Hua San-Mei Ch'an-I {Confessional Samadhi of the Lotus Sutra}. I plan to elaborate more on Zange in a future entry. It implies a practical method or methods to take responsibility for our own negative emotions.
The metta cultivation is one of the ways HOW I pray for people and about situations that make me feel hurt, angry, anxious, etc. It is effective because it starts with healing our own deleterous thoughts, feelings & perceptions. Then it gradually radiates outward in clockwise, circular waves; like a prayer wheel.
More on Metta Bhavana:
On Chanting Meditation
On Guided Meditation
Mantra Powered Chakra Visualization
Mantra Powered Visualization/Amazing Grace
Posted by rbeck at February 25, 2006 11:09 AMGreat reminders, Robin. Our intentions are powerful.
Last week a friend and I were kind of stuck in hurt feelings. We had had words and said things we later wished we hadn't. There was just nothing else to be said or done to 'fix' the situation. I usually don't chant for stuff but that morning I chanted to see the way toward healing.
I concentrated on sending loving kindness in her general direction...nothing pushy...just so it would be there if she noticed. She did. It's only the first step but was the hardest to take.
Sometimes I think this meditation is percieved to be new agey and exotic. Even without all the bells and whistles its a way to cultivate our unconditional good will...which is what our world is in dire need of.
Gassho, Patty