JT 6 Loving Kindness Meditation Instructions - Orientation 2011

This is a talk from the 2011 Joshua Tree Retreat (First Day)in which Bhante gives the detailed instructions for Metta or Lovingkindness meditation. He discusses his unique 6 r's technique and how to do the walking meditation.
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Book just published on Bhante's teachings
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[@travisr4985]

I was about to kill myself, so deep in depression, when my friend gave me Breath of Love, a book written from the speech in this video. I meditated as our Bhante Vimalaramsi taught in the book. It saved my life. I let go of the gray thoughts I had clung so hard to. A month later, people I had met during the time didn't recognize me. I was a completely different person, smiling, and taking pleasure in the moment. I cannot thank you enough for giving this speech. I am alive because of this speech.

[@davidjohnson8218]

Many thanks to you for your kind comment. I have forwarded it to Bhante Vimalaramsi for him to rejoice in. This meditation truly changes you and eliminates craving just like the Buddha said. David at Dhamma Sukha Don't forget to check out our website for more information about the meditation at www.dhammasukha.org Metta to you!

[@pappub4297]

Thanks bro, it really an inspiring story of transformation

[@DhammasukhaOrg]

@@pappub4297 Many Well Wishes to you Friend. Please keep your meditation going.

[@pappub4297]

@@DhammasukhaOrg 🙏. Sir, I am sure and i see a beam of hope from your kind words that will help me to liberate from suffering 🙏

[@waltergoring8428]

Wow. Yeah, this is really, really good stuff. Buddhism is amazing.

[@community1854]

Anytime you are fighting with/against the truth, you are inflicting suffering on you. Love this Bhante; I'm going to keep my smile and ignore the very serious people around me asking me to be serious again and again :-)!

[@Lavendersprings]

Bhanteji's voice is very soothing. Listening to his talk has been meditative and calm to me.

[@thevoid8238]

loving kindness for all my brothers and sisters in Palestine who's suffering a lot right now.

[@ALLISMIND]

why just Palestine?

[@cathy.m.2265]

I listened to numerous of the videos over a number of days. Then started with simple 1/2hour exercise. It's different than returning to a phase, when distracted, than returning to a feeling. Even my mantra would come in. I practiced the 6 R's, then in the last 10 minutes, fell asleep,:) I will continue practice this meditation...thank you...may you be well & happy.

[@xncfedf]

I feel really joyful thinking about the Virtues of The Supreme Buddha - Teacher of God's and men.

[@stevenkok1926]

Wonderful Grace of Bhante Vimalaramsi. Learn from scratch starts.

[@UkeGirl100]

wonderful teaching -- really hits the spot!

[@ashwinipanchbhai3182]

Venerable bhante.. metta... 06 Rs are we understand as per Buddha's teaching..feeling in deeper level..( vedana)recognising..noticing.( Anantara conditions) ( bhavang chitta ...paritta chitta ...javan chitta ) .let go by feeling in sense level ..releasing ( by feeling sensation how it's arising and passing away .Anicca).returning to heart base ( Hridya Vatthu ) with wholesome thought..smiling...returning...to object ( Alambana ).. Sending metta to ourself ....sending metta to spiritual friend..by heart base(loving kindness) ...feeling loving kindness for him..through relaxed brain ...through relaxed eyes..through relaxed smile..again returning to heart base with loving kindness.....( Karnimeya Sutta)

[@xncfedf]

Good one

[@UkeGirl100]

Thanks! This is just what I needed.

[@ashwinipanchbhai3182]

Wonderful teaching

[@zinakan]

My Mom forced me to watch this.

[@dhammacharika]

I have a question is how we known I am enter in jhana?

[@seminchung2433]

I am more than happy and lucky to have met with Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi thru Ytube! I have come to love 6r/loving-kindness meditation method. By the way, I have a question. " nimitta " experience is a prerequisite as a sign of stepping into right meditation? This experience has yet to come to me - disappointment to me: I am disqualified for meditation?

[@earthwaterairspiritfireleb5482]

Loving kindness for Maryland's zen community

[@dhammacharika]

It is good metta meditation

[@naegling3]

thanks!

[@bellebeauty67]

He nails it!! xoxooxox

[@arturomarin2803]

I have a question. Can I verbalize the 6r's mentally when I am meditating to make it easier to remember them and not skip the steps?

[@davidjohnson8218]

At first you can do that but as your meditation picks up you should be able to just DO the process instead of verbalize it. Experiment with it. It really works!

[@finlord4941]

what the benefit of metta meditation. how do we really know that the metta we send to the other person, they receive it. what they feel when she receive it.

[@1987Riva]

Is it okay to wish for materialistic wellness for yourself (and your spiritual friend) when doing Metta such as wealth etc?

[@SleepDisorderedBreathing]

I put on my Bose headset, an I hear a guy snoring in the background LOL

[@angrysammo]

Hahaha

[@dhammacharika]

How to feel wishes?

[@uilium]

@begintosee Thank you :) I found "Introduction to Loving-Kindness Meditation Joshua Tree Retreat II A Dhamma talk by Bhante Vimalaramsi". Is the first one done in around 2003 out of date or should I read that too? :)

[@naegling3]

spiritual friend= someone of the same sex okay. I study Bhante V's talks and other styles of Metta meditation and people have been asking me about Metta. And this question has come up "does it always have to be someone of the same sex?" It seems to me to point of having the spiritual friend being the same gender is not being romantically and sexually attached to the spiritual friend. What if the practitioner is gay? (obvious answer) Then what if they can fancy either gender?

[@Countcordeaux]

The point is to overcome any desire or attachment toward any other person. So start with someone you are not sexually attracted to.

[@xncfedf]

Recollection of the virtues of Buddha. Can you use this method to attain jhanas?

[@davidjohnson8218]

Not really - this is a contemplation and doesn't lead to jhana. However you can use this happiness when you think about it and switch over to the metta and share this metta and happiness with your spiritual friend in your formal practice. You can use anything to bring up lovingkindness- then you just keep it going and eventually jhana arises.

[@uilium]

How minds attention moves? ...and because your attention is always in the present that's why they say mindfulness is placing your attention in the present?

[@Havasu1976]

I'm taking these teachings seriously but I notice having trouble relaxing my physical brain while smiling. More relaxed when not smiling. Help!

[@adritrace88]

Stop taking them seriously haha

[@RickTheScientist]

So you don't have to know your spiritual friend personally right?

[@DhammasukhaOrg]

+Rick Davis Hi- You don't need to know them. You could use Bhante V as your friend or any monk. Just need to be alive etc. Metta -David

[@RickTheScientist]

+Bhante Vimalaramsi Thanks David!

[@xncfedf]

I can only remember a feeling of deep compassion when I was a kid. I saw a poor old man suffering. Can I use feeling of compassion? To attain jhanas?

[@davidjohnson8218]

Daru - you need to start with Metta or lovingkindness. It is the gateway to Nibbana. It really does work like that. The metta arises and morphs into compassion, then joy and finally a deep equanimity. So have you ever looked into the eyes of a little baby? Petted a little kitten or puppy? Did you smile? That's it. That's metta! Just remember that and bring it back. It can be hard at times, easier at others, but everyone can do it! You can take an online retreat on our website and progress quickly. dhammasukha.org

[@xncfedf]

@@davidjohnson8218 Thank you very much. I am listening to Bhante. Metta

[@shantanushekharsjunerft9783]

With breath I can focus on details. All I understand here is focus on the warmth of the feeling. Can I alter that feeling, try to spread it. I am running out of ideas when trying to sustain that warmth of feeling.

[@davidjohnson8218]

Hi Shantanu - No, don't interfere with the feeling. 6R when you start to stray. It is a hindrance that is arising so focus on why the feeling is waning. And smile more and don't try toooooo hard. :-)

[@shantanushekharsjunerft9783]

David Johnson thanks a bunch! I am on third chapter of your book. I am loving it! I had one more question about whether adding karuna in a metta meditation is ok? If not, why not?

[@DhammasukhaOrg]

From David: Not really. As you'll see later in the book the Metta will TURN in Karuna automatically when you go deeper in the metta. This is the real BrahmaVihara practice. You start with Metta and it automatically turns into Karuna, then Mudita and finally equanimity and then awakening!

[@shantanushekharsjunerft9783]

Bhante Vimalaramsi, one last question. Since I have done a lot of breathing meditation, I can stay continuously with the breath with maybe a few seconds of distraction. Now when I am switching the meditation object to metta feeling, the breath awareness is still strong and present in the background. Is that a problem?

[@DhammasukhaOrg]

David here: Yes let that go - you did breath with concentration and not the 6Rs so it really is a different system. However we are doing a feeling meditation. This means pay no attention to the breath at all. Release attention if you notice it. Allow it to be there and don't beat it away - just don't put your mind there. Only with the feeling of loving kindness. when your mind drifts use the 6Rs to come back. Don't pull the mind back - use the 6Rs to let go of the distraction. You can send me questions at [e-mail]

[@danuberman]

David, can you please tell me what effect it has on the person of your focus?

[@davidjohnson8218]

Dan- the person you are using as a Spiritual Friend will have the greatest week ever! We have heard of people's "Friends reporting just feeling good; even making a phone call back to the person without knowing who it was but they just had an urge to call" Lovingkindness is real and you do affect the world.

[@adritrace88]

Is it possible that after the recognizing part, the release, relax and re-smile happen at the same time? Another question: sometimes I feel mental tightness after returning to metta feeling (5th R), should I drop the verbalizing in this case? Thanks for the answer :)

[@davidjohnson8218]

Yes to both. If you have been practicing for awhile or your sitting is going well then the R's just roll as one process. The exact answer to the 2nd question is if you have had some joy arise in your sitting then verbalizing could cause tightness. But if not sure just drop the verbalizing and make the wish only. Non-verbally. Just smile at the person in your mind.

[@adritrace88]

@@davidjohnson8218 Thank you!! Just as my intuition was guiding me :)

[@mikehollowayuk]

Thankyou once again. The mininges part isnt correct guys. The mininges are not muscular. They cannot contract. The muscles of the scalp and face can though. Much love. 💕

[@HansenFT]

Thats not really his theory either, at least as I understand it (as a beginner). I think he says that when craving the brain expands a tiny bit, which is FELT in the memrane as feeling of tension. Not that the membrane contracts as a muscle. Not sure if I understand it correctly, but that is my belief.

[@earthwaterairspiritfireleb5482]

Shalom Arts Center (loving kindness meditation)

[@markbrad123]

Can't do this without focusing on breath.

[@DhammasukhaOrg]

No- just don't pay attention to the breath. Pay attention to the feeling. Yes the breath might be there but just ignore it.

[@markbrad123]

Begintosee Guess you have to be calm to start with then. Will give it a go. Thanks

[@DhammasukhaOrg]

***** Take a look at this link and look at the talk and transcript. Just "be" with the breath. Don't say its short or long. Just Hang out with the breath. You already know short or long. Just know that you are breathing without the mind wandering away. Only that. talks.dhammasukha.org/meditation.html#breath

[@mingwelu3620]

sathu sathu sathu

[@raquelaliyah]

lol