Metta
Meditation with a
Dzogchen
Spin
Metta
or loving-kindness is widely practiced form of buddhist meditation.
The idea is to wish happiness and relief of all forms discomfort to
oneself, to one's friends and people who are experiened to be
difficult and challenging. Although some schools of buddhism say that
metta only concerns wishing happiness and health to the person or
people meditated upon, personally I think that the motivation of
compassion is metta as well.
(Click below to listen Dzogchen Metta-Guided Practice)
Dzogchen
rigpa and loving-kindness
The
essence of all spirituality is nondual awareness. Dzogchen-tradition
calls this awareness with the name rigpa. Rigpa is both calm and
self-empty awareness but it is also imbued with life. Rigpa brims
with liveliness. This liveliness is what the mind-masters of all
traditions have described as love, kindness, compassion and
bodhicitta.
Loving-kindness
in common metta meditation practice is applied through 'silent
repetitions of phrases like “may you be happy” or “may you be
free from suffering” (1.)'.
This is a wonderful way to break self-based bondages and to open
one's heartmind.
But
as noted, from the dzogchen perspective, from the perspective of
rigpa as an actual experience, it already contains loving-kindness.
This can be understood on a experiential level quite easily.
Human-related
traumas
Us
all have lived innumerable lives both in human and other forms. If we
look the humanity at large, we can instantly see that people are
hurting and have ill-will towards other people. This trait is deeply
imprinted in our psyche. Even though (fortunately) only few of us
make careers out of it, i.e. indulge in harming others, for most of
us it is only momentarily. But even short moments of self-deluded
violence, either as an initiator or as a target, can and does make
our lives immensely difficult emotionally. Psychological tension and
trauma is created which is then stored into our energy bodies, that
is, minds. This is then carried from life to life, unless the traumas
aren't untangled.
This
is a simple example, not to even think of previous lives as
conquerors, soldiers, robbers, killers and murderers that we all have
been. The human kind is deeply traumatised by these actions, both
karmically and from generation to generation transmission.
This
is where spiritual practice, metta and recognition of the natural
state comes in.
Healing
of human-traumas
When
we grow in the recognition of rigpa, at some point it happens that
rigpa becomes a prevailing state. By this I am referring to opening
the 11th bhumi as taught in Open Heart-teachings. At this
point we naturally come to understand the classic texts of the
ancient masters yet have no need for them, at least not because of
the same reasons as before.
In
my personal experience, the above mentioned stage gives a whole
different spin on dharma, buddhas, guru, meditation, path,
spirituality and especially on being a human being. This opening into
our natural state, to our home, at least for myself, has brought up a
need for healing.
Buddhas
as humans
One
thing the nondual meditative traditions in general do not use is
physical touch as an aid for psycho-spiritual practice. Usually
physical contact is discouraged, it is not thought of as something
that could be useful. But it is. Physical touch and bodywork is
utterly human and for this reason very beneficial.
Here's
a simple technique for metta meditation with a dzogchen spin.
- If you are still having momentary glimpses of rigpa and have not yet opened your 11th bhumi, practice atiyoga for some time. Recognise the natural state and embody it by going through the embodiment sequence.
- Continue with a pair. Sit against each other with a fellow practitioner, woman or man, make physical connection by holding hands and by looking into each others eyes. Remain in the state of dzogchen/atiyoga together.
- For the practice not to become too emphasized in the ultimate aspect (two truths), move your body, arms, head and eyes every minute or so. The point is not to forget the relative condition of the bodymind but the opposite, to practice bodymind-based metta very humanly from the ultimate point of view.
- Be honest and open, don't hold back. If and when traumas come up, let them come, don't try to hide or hold them back. This is common meditation instuction.
- Sit together for at least a few minutes or longer, up to 30-60 minutes.
- Share your experiences verbally or simply smile and move on.
I
feel that even though we are humans only momentarily, we can benefit
of this a lot by using our human condition. This is the beauty of
being a human in the first place. There is so much potential to tap.
Even
though I have great limitations myself and certainly do not have the
brightest of minds, I'm always interested in studying, analysing and
updating the old ways of practice by digging into the root principles
of our bodies, minds, heart and awareness. I hope this text is of
some use and benefit to you.
Thank
you for reading,
- Kim
Katami, 6.12.2016
Open
Heart,
