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The Metta Sutta of Theravada Buddhism

Theresa St. Amant's photo
Toronto Eastern Philosophy Examiner

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The Metta Sutta is a 10-verse saying in the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism.  The Pali word ‘metta’ means ‘loving kindness’ or ‘friendliness’ and ‘sutta’ means ‘discourse’. Metta is 1 of the 10 Paramita or ‘perfections’ required for buddhahood, which is a state of perfect enlightenment.  Metta meditation is a means of cultivating the Four Brahmavihara or ‘sublime attitudes’.  When cultivated such virtues as metta purify karma, bringing inner peace and harmony to the person, his environment and all with which he has influence.
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Metta is developed through directed meditation practices that actively guide one’s thoughts and feelings toward universal love and away from selfishness, hatred, greed, delusion and all other forms of self-serving ideology and behaviour.  By setting aside time to visualise and redirect thoughts toward wishing all beings happiness and wellness, and feeling loving kindness, compassion and sympathy toward others, peace of mind and heart is stimulated and maintained within the practitioner.  
 
By extending thoughts and feelings of love outward from the heart disharmonious rhythms throughout the nervous system, which lead to inefficiency and stress on the heart and other organs are eliminated and a state of well being is achieved within those who practice metta.  Heart, brain and organs function in a healthy, efficient manner and the hormones released promote an overall peaceful, happy and optimistic attitude.
 
With genuinely loving thoughts and feelings emanating from you, others near you also feel the positive effect and synchronise with the rhythm of the peace, love and happiness you are experiencing.  The Institute of HeartMath (IHM) Research Center has studied the influence of the heart on the functioning of body and mind and states:
The heart is, in fact, a highly complex, self-organised information processing center with its own functional "brain" that communicates with and influences the cranial brain via the nervous system, hormonal system and other pathways. These influences profoundly affect brain function and most of the body’s major organs, and ultimately determine the quality of life.
While it may take time to adjust patterns of thinking, feeling and acting, the rewards of metta, as a meditation practice, are improved health and well being for your body, mind and environment.  In Toronto, Spring Rain Sangha offers metta meditation retreats, as well as weekly guided meditation sessions and a dharma home study program. ‘May you be free from hostility, free from affliction, free from distress; may you live happily.’
 
 
The Institute of HeartMath is an internationally recognized nonprofit research and education organization dedicated to helping people reduce stress, self-regulate emotions and build energy and resilience for healthy, happy lives. Personal coherence, also known as psychophysiological coherence, refers to the synchronization of our physical, mental and emotional systems. It can be measured by our heart-rhythm patterns: The more balanced and smooth they are, the more in sync, or coherent, we are. The human heart emits the strongest electromagnetic field in our body. This electromagnetic field envelops the entire body extending out in all directions, and it can be measured up to several feet outside of the body. Research from the Institute of HeartMath shows that this emotional information is encoded in this energetic field. HeartMath researchers have also seen that as we consciously focus on feeling a positive emotion - such as care, appreciation, compassion or love - it has a beneficial effect on our own health and well-being, and can have a positive affect on those around us. For over 22 years, Gregg Braden has searched high mountain villages, remote monasteries and forgotten texts to uncover their timeless secrets. Combining his discoveries with the best science of today, his original research crosses the traditional boundaries of science, history, and religion offering fresh insights into ancient mysteries. Personal coherence, also known as psychophysiological coherence, refers to the synchronization of our physical, mental and emotional systems. It can be measured by our heart-rhythm patterns: The more balanced and smooth they are, the more in sync, or coherent, we are. Global coherence refers to the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of the greater community of human beings, while acting in concert with their own hearts, each other and nation to nation in harmony with our living planet. HeartMath believes coherence on a grand scale is highly achievable when large numbers of people focus their heart intelligence on a common goal.

Video: Science of the Heart

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, Toronto Eastern Philosophy Examiner

Theresa was born a “God-Geek” and relates all things back to God, just as anyone love-struck does. Her “sermons” to siblings began at the early age of four and spanned out from there to captive audiences at Christian Camp. With visions and various paranormal experiences leading her along the...

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