One of the three cornerstones of Vipassana meditation is the metta technique. It is one I have put off in my own practice.
In essence, the ultimate purpose of the technique is to generate a feeling of metta, or loving-kindness towards everyone and everything.
Also called compassion, There are many methods of practicing the technique, but they usually follow a system something like this:
It is necessary to begin with a calm mind (metta is usually practiced after concentration or Vipassana)
Then we cultivate the intention of wishing happiness.
We first wish happiness to ourself, that we may be safe, healthy and free from suffering.
Secondly we wish happiness to a good friend, or someone close to us, that they be safe, healthy and free from suffering.
Thirdly we wish happiness to someone we feel neutral towards, that they be safe, healthy and free from suffering.
Fourthly we wish happiness to someone we feel is difficult, an "enemy", that they be safe, healthy and free from suffering.
Lastly, we conclude with all things in existence, animate and inanimate, that they all be safe, healthy and free from suffering.
The process does not need to be long, just 10-15 minutes per day.
Both cognitively and emotionally, the practice might seem to not make sense.
We often feel justified in our hatred of certain others, especially if they are destructive people. It takes a lot of wisdom to realize that people do bad things from ignorance and desperation, and that if they were truly happy, they would not need to do the things that they do.
By opposing the behavior, we need to create enemies. By opposing the misery underlying the behavior, we need strong compassion.
The other cognitive block to trying the practice is to wonder why we would want to feel compassion for those we dislike or disagree with, and for inanimate objects.
The purpose of cultivating this intention is first and foremost for us. If we can even be in the presence of an enemy but still feel compassion, we can stay calm and happy. If we feel equal compassion for all people (a long-term aim of the practice), then we can be more objective and fair to the situation, by taking feelings out of the equation. Sometimes we can learn from people we dislike, and even people we dislike can make a good point.
The cultivation of compassion towards all beings and objects as well gives us more respect for the environment we live in. It allows us to develop a healthy relationship with the world around us. For example we learn that money is not in itself evil, but can be used for immoral or moral purposes. We learn that we can be satisfied with our old but clean clothes, instead of needing to buy new ones all the time, creating environmental problems.
It has only been this year that I have started to appreciate the value of this practice, and I have included it more regularly.
One reason is that it has taken me a long time to be happy with myself. Compassion towards ones self is the base, and kindness needs to be directed there, first and foremost.
The hierarchy in the practice above can be used to judge the compassion of any individual.
If the person is unhappy with themselves, they are often unable to even share in the joy of their friends. This is where we see that the most harmful people are often unhappy with the most fundamental aspect of their reality, themselves.
A more compassionate person, may have love for themselves and their friends, but bitterly oppose those they have decided are their enemies. This tribal or team mentality means that differences become the source of conflict, and any benefit from this conflict is given up. Politics is a good example of this, where often arguments are not centered on what policies would be most beneficial, but rather who is "right" or "wrong". A more compassionate society on this level would be more considerate of all opinions, even when it opposes their own. It is at this level that many modern societies are struggling to break through at a collective level.
The last is our relationship to materiality and the environment. If we are still concerned with opposing people, it is often hard to care about "things". As modern societies, we are trying to reevaluate our relationship with the environment so that we don't damage it beyond repair.
As individuals, it is our job to become more compassionate, with whatever technique we choose. Via the moral multiplier, our actions can have effects that extend beyond ourselves. And while we are a small cog in the wheel, it is the collection of all these small cogs moving forward that will take society to where it needs to go.
