Metta before, during, or after vipassana?

General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
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Mojo
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Metta before, during, or after vipassana?

Post by Mojo »

Do you practice metta before, during, or after vipassana? By during, I mean in a way similar to the way Bhante Vimalaramsi teaches.

Thank you.

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FatDaddy
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Re: Metta before, during, or after vipassana?

Post by FatDaddy »

I routinely do it before. If I have a ling time to sit (> 1hr), I do it afterwards as well.
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may all beings be happy at heart.
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weak or strong, without exception,
long, large,
middling, short,
subtle, blatant,
seen & unseen,
near & far, born & seeking birth: May all beings be happy at heart.

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or despise anyone anywhere,
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Mojo
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Re: Metta before, during, or after vipassana?

Post by Mojo »

I suppose there should be another option of neither - in that I suppose some people who practice both may choose too practice them at different times of the day. I've only ever meditated once per day on a regular basis but am starting to think that twice a day might be a good option. Perhaps metta early in the day where there is less likely to be distraction and then vipassana later when I can always just take the distractions as objects of mindfulness?
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BlackBird
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Re: Metta before, during, or after vipassana?

Post by BlackBird »

I generally do some metta before any meditation session. It really helps calm the mind and kick starts the sense of joy. It helps for regardless of whether I'm doing insight or samatha, but probably more so with samatha.
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'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

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Ben
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Re: Metta before, during, or after vipassana?

Post by Ben »

After, and then spontaneously during the day.
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

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in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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