Exploring “Mettā as the Bedrock of Insight and Concentration” with Benjamin Hohl this Sunday; Alex Haley Teaching Nine Bodies Insight Daylong Retreat 2/18

Dear Community,

Sunday 10am Weekly Meditation & Discussion: “Mettā as the Bedrock of Insight and Concentration Practice” with Benjamin Hohl

This week Benjamin Hohl will offer an exploration of mettā (loving-kindness), not as a standalone meditation or visualization exercise, but as the attitude necessary for concentration and insight to arise. This exploration will be based on the first chapter of Ajahn Amaro’s book, The Breakthrough, which is freely available (PDF & e-reader files) here, for those interested in reading ahead of time. Register here to join us — we hope to see you there!

Below is a selection from The Breakthrough (Kindle Locations 102-150):

“When we are setting our intention to work with the mind, we should also set the intention to maintain an attitude of kindness. We usually think of mettā or mettā bhāvanā as being a specific meditation or a visualization. But I prefer, and feel it’s more helpful, to establish the attitude of loving-kindness as the basic mode in which we work. Rather than mettā being a five-minute practice at the end of the day, like an after-dinner mint, it needs to be the very way that we are working with the mind… So rather than mettā being a sort of optional extra, added on as a secondary practice, it’s more accurate to see it as the bedrock of our practice. It is the attitude needed in order to truly develop concentration and insight. If we don’t have that quality of acceptance, when we try to concentrate the mind we find ourselves fighting against our thoughts, fighting against our memories or fighting against our planning mind…

The Buddha recognized that it’s impossible to develop peace of mind by using an aggressive and contentious method. If you want peace, peace has to be your method. If you want clarity, then clarity has to be your method. If you want to arrive at a quality of focus and calm, the effort has to embody calm as well as the other wholesome qualities that we bring to it... If you want to have a mind that abides in loving-kindness, you need to use loving-kindness as the way of working.”

Alex Haley Teaching Nine Bodies Insight Retreat 2/18

Alex Haley will be teaching a Nine Bodies Insight daylong retreat on February 18th appropriate for both new and continuing students. You can find more information and registration here. This event is hosted by Dharma Ground.

With metta (loving-kindness),

Minneapolis Insight