In cooperation with and on invitation of the Föreningen för Tibetansk buddhism i Göteborg, Sweden, we offer a 4 month programm on Metta, kindness,
The power of kindness (Metta). View and meditation
Metta means in buddhism unbiased kindness, friendliness, goodwill. It is a peaceful state of mind, because it is based on opennes, strength, independency, goodness, freedom. Through Metta we change negative modes of thinking and feelings into kindness free from attachment and aversion. It creates a spontaneous attitude of wholesome intentions. Towards ourselves, towards loved ones, neutral persons, those whom we dislike, and to those in all directions of the universe.
Due to past experiences, many of us do not trust our capacity to kindness. Usually we are friendly and benevolent to those people whom we like. Or to those who are kind to us. But to those who are unknown or unsymphatetic it is more difficult to be of goodwill.
Basically this attitude comes from attachment and aversion. From prejudice, fear, uncertainty, mistrust, resistance, self interest. With such an attitude we are in fact very unfriendly towards ourselves, because we are unfree, unprotected, dependent. These are the inner ennemies.
During metta practice, people are amazed to find out that they have a capacity for kindness, goodwill, both for themselves and for others. The attitude of Metta involves a tremendous confidence and strength of our intentions. Metta meditation subdues the disturbing attitudes we have created in our mind.
When we express goodwill, it does not mean that we are going to be there for others all the time. We are wishing that all beings will wise up about how to find happiness.
The armour of the bodhisattva is bodhicitta: the vast mind, the altruistic intention to strive for the benefit of all beings. May they all be happy, may they be free from suffering. Metta is the prelude to boundless compassion, love and equanimity. Which are the qualities of the inner buddhanature.
During the online sessions we will enhance our insight in metta. And through increasing meditations we will experience the power of metta.
Dates set:
On Tuesdays, every two weeks, from 8-9.30 pm.
September 1, 15 and 29 th.
Oktober 13 and 27th.
November 10 and 24 th.
December 8 and 15 th.
Two ways of participating
A. You want to join all 9 online meetings.
In that case please sent an email and you will automatically receive a Zoom entrycode before every meeting.
Please pay in advance 65 €
You will receive now and then a short written summary of the teachings, sutra texts and metta meditations, which were explained and practised during the programm.
You join most of the meetings (will be registered), and you take your homework seriously.
2:B. You want to join a single meeting whenever it fits you.
In that case please sent an e. mail just before the chosen meeting and you will receive an entrycode.
Please pay in advance € 8 each time you join. You will not receive any written material. No homework.
About Venerable Sungrab Woeser
Sungrab Woeser is buddhist Sakya monk in the Netherlands. He has been a buddhist since 1993, before being ordained as a monk in 2009 in the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. His root teachers are HH Dalai Lama, HH Sakya Trizin and sons, and Khenpo Sherab Gyaltsen Amipa. He accomplished retreats on metta, samatha and tantra. Venerable Sungrab studied buddhist philosophy for several years at the International Buddhist Academy in Kathmandu, Nepal. Currently he is leading an ‘open monastery’ in a northern region of the Netherlands.