How You Can Participate in the World Day of Metta 2013

World Day of Metta, March 20, 2013!


On March 20, 2013, the organizers of the World Day of Metta are asking people all around the world to open their hearts and from 12 PM to 2 PM, local time, to meditate on and offer the following metta to all beings of the world:

THE METTA 

May all beings have fresh clean water to drink

May all beings have food to eat

May all beings have a home

May all beings have someone to share love with

May all beings know their true purpose

May all beings be well and happy

May all beings be free from suffering

Today, I shall do what I can to make this so.

The offering of metta, or loving-kindness, to others is a non-denominational act.   You don't have to believe in anything except the power of love to change the world! Compassionate hearts of all persuasions, or no persuasions, are invited to join others around the world in 2 hours of loving-kindness.

The goal of the World Day of Metta is to say this Metta at least once for each of the 7 billion plus humans on the planet, as well as all the sentient beings who share the Earth with us.  Visit the Web site for more information about participating!

At my main blog, Metta Refuge, those who are interested in learning more about the Buddhist practice of metta can find a wealth of information and dharma teachings on how to do loving-kindness, or metta, meditation.

A good place to start is the Basic Metta page, which gives beginning instruction explaining  how to do metta, or loving-kindness meditation as taught by the Buddha:

At the Basic Metta page you can download free PDFs by experienced dharma teachers for your personal study.  You will also find links to introductory articles by some outstanding Buddhist teachers:

Ajahn Brahmavamso Teaches Loving-kindness

Bringing Metta to Daily Life—A Talk by Bhante Vimalaramsi

Metta—The Healing Power of Visualizing and Radiating Love Toward Others
(Acharya Buddharakkhita)

May We All Be Happy—Beginning Metta
(Gil Fronsdal)

At Metta Refuge you will also find many articles about loving-kindness meditation that will help take your deeper into your metta practice.  You might want to look into some of these articles:

Metta Phrases for Dealing with Self-Hatred and Self-judgment

The Karaniya Metta Sutta and Healing Through Loving-kindness (with Music)

Audio Dharma-An Introduction to Metta by Gil Fronsdal

Metta in the Moment


Goodwill—Not a Pink Cloud of Cotton Candy Covering the World


I look forward to joining my brothers and sisters in every nation in this great world-wide metta on March 20, 12 PM to 2 PM local time!

The Great Aspiration of Metta

As a mother, at the risk of her life,

Watches over her only child,

Let him cherish an unbounded mind

For all living beings.

Let him have love for the whole world

And develop an unbounded mind

Above, below and all around,

Boundless heart of goodwill, free of hatred,

Standing, walking, sitting or lying down,

So long as he be awake,

Let him cherish this thought,

This is called divine abiding here.

~ Karaniyametta (Metta) Sutta

POSTSCRIPT:

You might enjoy reading a Metta Refuge essay I wrote after my two hours of metta for World Day of Metta.  I explain some of the ways I approached the metta and also share some insights I have learned over years of practicing loving-kindness meditation. You can read it here:

How Practice and Creativity Can Open Up Your Practice

For more in-depth dharma articles and instruction, visit: METTA REFUGE

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The body is not self? Easy to say!

"Consider the human body. Do you consider the body to be yours? It’s very easy to say, “The body is not self” when one is young, healthy and fit. The test comes when one is sick, especially when that sickness is very deep and lasting, or can even be life threatening. That’s when one can really see at a deeper level whether one is taking the body to be ‘me’ or ‘mine’.

Why does this fear arise? The fear is always because of attachment. One is afraid that something which one cherishes is being threatened or taken away. If ever a fear of death comes up at any time, that will show with ninety nine percent certainty, that in that moment one is seeing or thinking that this body is ‘me’, or is ‘mine’."

Ajahn Brahmavamso from “Anatta—Not Self”

For more in-depth dharma articles and instruction, visit:  METTA REFUGE

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What Attention Can Reveal

“If you can sustain your attention on any part of nature long enough, nature opens up to you and reveals its secrets, whether it's watching a leaf on a tree or it's watching the moon in the sky or even watching the finger on your hand. 

Whatever it is, if you can sustain your attention unmoving and without comment, silent and still, you'll find the object in front of the mind will open up its secrets to you. And you'll see much more in there than you've ever seen before.”

Ajahn Brahmavamso

For more in-depth dharma articles and instruction, visit:  METTA REFUGE

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When we are sick, is the body more "me" or "mine?"

"Consider the human body. Do you consider the body to be yours? It’s very easy to say, “The body is not self” when one is young, healthy and fit. The test comes when one is sick, especially when that sickness is very deep and lasting, or can even be life threatening. That’s when one can really see at a deeper level whether one is taking the body to be ‘me’ or ‘mine’.

Why does this fear arise? The fear is always because of attachment. One is afraid that something which one cherishes is being threatened or taken away. If ever a fear of death comes up at any time, that will show with ninety nine percent certainty, that in that moment one is seeing or thinking that this body is ‘me’, or is ‘mine’."

Ajahn Brahmavamso from “Anatta—Not Self”

Goodheart Comment:  And what about when we are having great enjoyment or pleasure in the body? The pleasure or the pain, as such, is not the problem!  The dharma issue is this:  what do "I" self-identify with?

Can we just be with the flow, mindfully, without adding story lines and grasping?  Can we enjoy without clinging?  Can we have pain without clinging?  That's the cutting edge where we prove what we know theoretically and what we have demonstrated for ourselves about not-self.

For more in-depth dharma articles and instruction, visit:  METTA REFUGE

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Would You Like to Learn More about Loving-kindness Meditation?

If you've heard about the Buddhist practice called metta, or loving-kindness meditation, and would like to learn more about it, I invite you to investigate the my newly revised and expanded "Metta Instruction" page at Metta Refuge.

Here you will find some outstanding and easy-to-grasp instruction by outstanding dharma teachers such as Ajahn Brahmavmso, Bhante Vimalaramsi, Acharya Buddharakkhita, Ven. Dhammarakhita, dharma teacher Gregory Kramer, and Venerable Sujiva.

Like the facets of a diamond, each teacher's talks highlights a different aspect or way into the practice of loving-kindness.  There's even an article on teaching metta to children! And if you already have a loving-kindness practice, I think you will still find many skillful and useful insights into how to expand and deepen your metta practice.

So please stop by:  Metta Instructions and have a look around!

For more in-depth dharma articles and instruction, visit:  METTA REFUGE

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