The metta practice rests on the basis of loving oneself, or at least liking oneself. Without this step, no further progress is possible, either in the metta practice or in the practice of any of the Brahma Viharas (the Divine Abidings). And with the English — the men at least — this first step was proving very difficult, if not impossible…
The virtues (paramis) always work in a relationship of mutual cooperation. There is an organic necessity for these positive energies to work together; they are mutually supportive. There is support between formal practice and the virtues, and among the several virtues.
From a distance we might say that practice seems to be simple, and in a sense it is—it’s the simplest thing in the world. In another sense, however, it is a complex and interacting structure…
This reflective mind, then, is the still point in the centre. That is why each one of us is important in our own right. You may feel that you are not a very important person, that you are just one of the 5.5 billion on this planet…
A talk by Ajahn Sumedho. Loving-kindness (Metta) to oneself and others is one of the major teachings of Buddhism. 72 minutes.
There are many ways of practising metta, loving kindness.
It is good to take one of the Perfections as a special practice. Maybe it’s patience: I’m impatient with myself and others; I’m easily irritated and angered. So let this be my special practice. As we develop one Perfection, we shall discover that the whole personality is affected and all the other Perfections are also enhanced…
Sometimes metta is presented as a kind of ‘think pink’ idea, where we are just saying very nice things and wishing everybody well and it is all very sweet and nice, but underneath there might be a kind of volcano of rage and resentment…
But metta is much deeper than just nice ideas and good thoughts, isn’t it? It is a way of receiving everything and allowing things to be what they are, both internally and externally…
Buddhism now 