Metta is a Pali word that can be translated as benevolence, friendliness, or good will. It is a key state of mind for meditative practice; it has the capacity to heal, invigorate, and center the mind.

The majority of guided Metta meditations emphasize the ways in which you can trigger this state of mind with semantic content and imagery. For example imagining a loved one, a pet, or even a beautiful scene, and tuning into the feeling of friendliness that such an image sparks.

In this meditation we instead emphasize the phenomenal character of Metta as a way to develop it, establish it, and understand it deeply. For example, we discuss how one can use different varieties of attention in order to kindle this feeling. We also tune into one’s intentions and background mood in order to nudge the mind towards Metta. More so, we carefully study how technical phenomenological features such as rhythm, wave envelope, and energy affects the quality and intensity of Metta.

May this meditation be of benefit to sentient beings!

Relevant Links:

• Metta Practice, and a few things about Piti (Instructions), by Rob Burbea (https://dharmaseed.org/talks/60871/)
• Guide to Writing Rigorous Reports of Exotic States of Consciousness (https://qri.org/blog/rigorous-reports)
• Guided Meditation: The Varieties of Attention (https://youtu.be/YYSkKgwH4Bg?si=okgPbqKSGt8MvIHq)
• Buddhist Annealing: Wireheading Done Right with the Seven Factors of Awakening (https://qualiacomputing.com/2021/04/04/buddhist-annealing-wireheading-done-right-with-the-seven-factors-of-awakening/)
• Metta: The Fabric Softener of Reality (https://youtu.be/SN-Wfk8bYo0?si=jpSS3lYSvOR6V-7P)