Loving-kindness and Non-harm as a Preliminary

Most of us sit down to meditate and jump straight into watching the breath — but what if a few minutes of preparation made the whole practice easier? In this talk, Travis Hicks explores the idea of preliminary practices, drawing on Mahasi Sayadaw's recommendation of six things worth doing before formal meditation begins.

The six include reflecting on your own virtuous conduct, recalling the benefits of practice, cultivating confidence in the teachings, bringing to mind the qualities of the Buddha, practicing a little loving-kindness, and recollecting death as a nudge toward urgency. Travis shares honestly how he has been experimenting with these in his own practice, and makes a case especially for two: metta as a way of softening the heart before settling the mind, and the simple reflection on good things we have done — something our culture, he notes, doesn't make particularly easy. The talk is practical and personal, with a bug catcher making a memorable appearance along the way.

About Travis

Travis Hicks has been practicing Vipassana meditation since 1995 and teaching since 2005. He completed a two-year teacher training program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center under the guidance of senior teachers in the Theravada tradition. Travis brings a warm, accessible style to the dharma, drawing on both classical Buddhist teachings and contemporary psychology. He leads weekly sittings, daylong retreats, and occasional residential retreats for the IMH community.

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Episoder(14)

Vesak and a Brief Life of the Buddha

Every year on the full moon of May, Buddhists around the world celebrate Vesak — the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha, all said to have occurred on the same day. In this talk, Travis Hick...

18 Mai 20min

Brahma Vihara Practice of Mudita (Sympathetic Joy)

Joy isn't a distraction from the spiritual path — according to the Buddha, it's an essential part of it. In this talk, Ginger Clarkson guides the group through mudita, or sympathetic joy, the third of...

6 Mai 25min

Meditation in Movement: The Alexander Technique

Alexander technique is a body awareness and reeducation method from the 19th century that embodies many principles that overlap with mindfulness meditation and insight through observation. In this tal...

5 Mai 17min

Mindfulness of the Body Part 2

In this second talk on mindfulness of the body, Travis Hicks picks up where he left off, covering three more practices from the Satipatthana Sutta: working with postures and energy, mindfulness of the...

21 Apr 17min

Mindfulness of the Body Part 1

The body is always here which makes it one of the most reliable anchors for meditation practice.In this first of two talks on mindfulness of the body, Travis Hicks introduces the first of the Four Fou...

15 Apr 31min

The Digital Fast

Our phones are designed to capture our attention and they're very good at it.In this talk, Travis Hicks reflects on his annual Lenten practice of giving up social media, and what it reveals about how ...

15 Apr 19min

Reincarnation: A Buddhist Perspective

Travis Hicks explores how the Buddha's teachings on reincarnation and samsara show up throughout the suttas, and what they ask of us in daily life.Drawing on vivid similes from the Pali Canon, Travis ...

31 Mar 17min