Embodying Mettā: Somatic Approaches to Lovingkindness

Embodying Mettā

The practice of mettā, or lovingkindness, is one of four “divine abidings” of the heart according to the Buddha’s teachings. One way this quality can be cultivated—as traditionally and so frequently taught—is through the recitation of phrases. Yet, like the Dhamma as a whole, there are countless doorways to the cultivation of mettā. With a deeper understanding and familiarity with the subtle expressions of mettā and exploring the many pathways to nurture this profound and boundless quality, lovingkindness meditation can guide us away from binary thinking and self-judgment. Instead of merely labeling ourselves as “loving and kind” or “not loving and kind,” it opens up the opportunity for growth and compassion towards ourselves and others. In this course, we will explore various doorways into cultivating mettā, as well as the spectrum in which it can come alive in our daily lives.

About Dawn Mauricio

Dawn Mauricio (she/her), a Filipina-Canadian, has been practicing and studying Insight Meditation since 2005. She has graduated from the first teacher development group of True North Insight, Spirit Rock’s Mindfulness Yoga and Meditation Training, Dedicated Practitioners’ Program, and 4-year Retreat Teacher Training. She teaches with a playful, dynamic, and heartfelt approach to People of Color and folks of all backgrounds. Dawn leads daylongs, retreats, multi-year programs, and workshops in Canada and the US for Spirit Rock, True North Insight, and Sacred Mountain Sangha. Dawn is a co-founder of the True North Insight BIPOC practice group, serves on the guiding teacher’s council of True North Insight, and is the leadership council for Sacred Mountain Sangha. She is also the author of “Mindfulness Meditation for Beginners.” For more information, visit dawnmauricio.com.

About Spirit Rock & Insight Meditation

Spirit Rock is a spiritual training institution in the Insight Meditation tradition grounded in the Buddha’s teachings in the Pāli discourses. Our vision and mission is to bring people to a depth of realization of the Buddha’s path of liberation through direct experience, and to provide practitioners with teachings to manifest wisdom and compassion in all aspects of their lives, for the benefit of all beings. We welcome practitioners of all backgrounds and levels of experience to join communities of learning, support, and connection in our spiritual sanctuary and refuge.

This course is part of Spirit Rock’s new Dharma Institute, which offers in-depth study of the teachings and practices of the Buddha and the Insight Meditation lineage, along with professional trainings and continuing education. 

Spirit Rock was founded in 1986 by a group of Insight Meditation teachers, including Jack Kornfield, who, along with Sharon Salzberg, Joseph Goldstein, and Jacqueline Schwartz, founded Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, MA, in 1976. These centers, along with Gaia House (Devon, UK), are among the first centers teaching Insight Meditation (vipassanā) in the West. Read more about the founding of Spirit Rock and IMS in Jack Kornfield’s article “This Fantastic, Unfolding Experiment.” 

Insight Meditation is based in Theravāda (“The Way of the Elders”) Buddhism, as practiced in Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), and Thailand, though our teachers carry many different lineages within—and outside—Theravāda. Our primary practices are based in the Mahāsī lineage of Burmese vipassanā and the Thai Forest Saṅgha lineage of Ajahn Chah. Read more aboutour Buddhist Lineage and listen to talks from teachers about the roots of our practice.

Questions?

Visit Help for additional information and guidance. After visiting the Help page, if you still need support with the Online Learning Platform, email OLPsupport@spiritrock.org.