Friday, January 7, 2011

Metta


Having had "Much Metta" expressed towards me, I wanted to learn what it meant. It felt very loving but I am a curious being so I had to learn about it. With great joy I share with you what I have learned thus far. ~

Mettā (Pāli; Devanagari: मेत्ता) or maitrī (Sanskrit) is loving-kindness,[1][2] friendliness,[3][4][5] benevolence,[2][4] amity,[3] friendship,[4] good will,[4] kindness,[6] love,[3] sympathy,[3] close mental union (on same mental wavelength),[4] and active interest in others.[3] 

It is one of the ten pāramīs of the Theravāda school of Buddhism, and the first of the four sublime states (Brahmavihāras). This is love without clinging (upādāna).
The cultivation of loving-kindness (mettā bhāvanā) is a popular form of meditation in Buddhism. In the Theravadin Buddhist tradition, this practice begins with the meditator cultivating loving-kindness towards themself,[7] then their loved ones, friends, teachers, strangers, enemies, and finally towards all sentient beings. In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, this practice is associated with tonglen (cf.), whereby one breathes out ("sends") happiness and breathes in ("receives") suffering.[8] Tibetan Buddhists also practice contemplation of the four immeasurables, which they sometimes call 'compassion meditation'[9]
"Compassion meditation" is a contemporary scientific field that demonstrates the efficacy of metta and related meditative practices.

This comes directly from Wikipedia. Here is the link to learn even more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81

 
 Blessings & Much Metta ~*~

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