SONOMA SHAMBHALA MEDITATION CENTER Maitri Bhavana
Monthly Group Meditation Practice for those who are seriously ill
The Sanskrit word maitri means friendliness, or loving-kindness, while bhavana means virtue or quality. So maitri bhavana is the practice of expanding loving-kindness without limits, or unlimited friendliness.
Maitri Bhavana is a monthly group practice that we do for the seriously ill, on the third Sunday of every month. What is meant by "seriously ill"? Any seriously debilitating condition; physical, mental, psychological or spiritual can be included. Temporary illnesses such as the common head cold, rash, fever, etc. are not usually included. Conditions such as cancer, stroke, alcoholism, diabetes, chronic depression, etc. would be included.
The basis of this group practice is tonglen, which means "sending and taking." Using the medium of the breath we breathe in the suffering and pain of those who are ill, and we breathe out to them relief from that suffering. This relief can take many different forms.
If you are unable to attend the monthly practice, but would like to submit your name or someone else's name for healing practice, please enter the name(s) and illnesse(s) below. You may also email ????? with the subject Maitri and including the name(s) and illnesse(s).
Maitri Bhavana: an explanation given by the Chögyam Trungpa
"In this practice we share health with other people - in fact, with all sentient beings. It involves developing a sense of immense generosity and being willing to suffer for others. One's own personal gain and achievement could be shared - in fact, given up.
Generally sickness and unhealthiness occur from a problem with the environmental situation.
People have no chance to express any sense of comfort because the space around them is so
cramped. Consequently, one can get disordered in one's body and mind, and get sick because there is no accommodation to relax, open, and celebrate.
So this practice is a token gesture to provide lots of room, openness, and space for others, and not make demands on the environment itself. In order to change the environment, one has to create some seed from within oneself. If one is creating one's own spaciousness, that spaciousness becomes contagious and expands to others who are suffering, so they also could be helpful. That seems to be the basic meaning of generosity in this practice.
The technique of meditation here [tonglen] is very old, and has come down through generations of Mahayana practitioners. It is similar to working on the in- and out-breath, but is more like contemplation, in that deliberate thoughts, mental objects, are used. As you breathe out, you breathe out your spaciousness and your goodness completely. As you breathe in, you breathe into yourself the sickness, neurosis, and problems of other people. This is the practice that we are going to do."
How to participate
Everyone is welcome to join us in the morning on the third Sunday of every month for this inspiring and moving practice. Before we begin we will collect the names and illnesses of those who are suffering, and during the practice these will be read aloud. Then we do the practice of sending and taking (tonglen) for them. Then we read aloud together the metta sutta [link] on Friendliness to proclaim our intention to help all those who are suffering.
If you are unable to attend the service, you are welcome to submit the names and illnesses of those who are suffering by clicking here. The names will be collected and added to the list at the time of the next practice. You can submit the same name(s) each month if you like, but we do not "carry over" names from month to month.
Friendliness
This is what should be done by those who are skilled in seeking good, having attained the way of
peace:
They should be able, straightforward, and upright, easy to speak to, gentle, and not proud,
Content and easily supported, with few obligations and wants,
With senses calmed, prudent, modest, and without greed for other people's possessions.
They should not do anything base that the wise would reprove.
May they be at their ease and secure-may all beings be happy.
Whatever living beings there are, whether they be weak or strong-omitting none-
Whether long, large, average, big or small,
Seen or unseen, dwelling near or far,
Born or to be born- may all beings be happy.
Let no one deceive another or despise anyone anywhere.
Let none out of anger or hostility wish suffering upon another.
Just as a mother would protect with her life her own child, her only child,
So one should cultivate a boundless mind toward all beings and friendliness toward the entire
world.
One should cultivate a boundless mind- above, below, and across,
Without obstruction, hatred, or enmity.
Standing or walking, sitting or lying down, throughout all one's waking hours,
One should practice this mindfulness; this, they say, is the supreme state.
Not falling into wrong views, virtuous, endowed with insight,
Having overcome desire for sense pleasures, one will never again know rebirth.
Note: Buddha Shakyamuni taught this Metta Sutta, which is found in the Sutta-Nipata section of the Khuddaka-Nikaya collection of shorter-length discourses. It was translated from the Pali by the Nalanda Translation Committee with reference to a number of previous translations.
