Shamata and Metta Meditation – União Budista Portuguesa

In the western world, the Christmas season is associated with the highest qualities of the human experience: peace, joy, love, compassion and brotherhood among men. For the Buddhists, these qualities are the foundations of their spiritual training and lead to the “awakening of compassion”, the awakening of an innate ability to feel empathy and understand the experience of others. Therefore, to celebrate peace and love in the world with Lisboetas, the Portuguese Buddhist Union is providing two introductory meditation sessions. Come along and give it a go!

14 December, saturday, 11 a.m. ,

I – INTRODUCTION TO SHAMATHA MEDITATION: mental peace = peace in the world

“Shamatha” meditation, or mind calmness, is a powerful tool for self-knowledge and balancing emotions, with numerous proven health and well-being benefits. For an hour, we’ll be teaching some simple techniques to bring about inner peace and consciousness to our daily lives and the world which surrounds us.

15 December, friday, 11 a. m.

II – INTRODUCTION TO METTA MEDITATION: awakening loving kindness

From the Buddhist perspective, loving kindness is the desire that all sentient beings experience the same joy and freedom that we ourselves want to feel. It involves acknowledging that we’re all similar and related and that we all share the same desire to be happy; to live in peace and avoid pain. Metta meditation is a meditation that evokes and develops love, kindness and generosity towards ourselves and others, helping us to actively cultivate positive emotional states which allow us to become more patient, gentle, receptive and compassionate.