What is the nimitta in Metta meditation? If we focus on one person and wish him to be happy and free from suffering, what nimitta should we expect to see? Is it possible to attain metta jhana by focusing on just one person?
I think metta should be my main meditation because it’s easier to practice compared to mindfulness of breathing and kasina. Mindfulness of breathing and kasina are hard to practice when we are traveling because the breath may not be that clear and it strains my head if I try to visualize the kasina object with my eyes open.
We shouldn’t focus on the feeling in metta meditation. The object of metta meditation is the person we are sending metta to. Focusing on the feeling is a common mistake in the west.
I read the Visudhimagga, commentary to Visuddhimagga, and commentary to the metta sutta. I’m just asking if it is possible to attain a nimitta by sending metta to one person because the Visuddhimagga says we must first send metta to ourselves, then to a respected person, and also a dear person, neutral person and an enemy. And then eventually sending metta to everyone in the world. My question is does nimitta only arise when we radiate metta towards all of them and break down the barrier or can it arise even when we are radiating metta to one person. I’m more so asking what should one expect when practicing Metta. When practicing Mindfulness of breathing or kasina, I know what is supposed to happen so I’m not confused about that but for metta meditation l read that breaking down the barrier (being able to equally send metta to oneself, respected person, dear person, neutral person, and enemy without any difference) is the nimitta in Metta jhana. So my question is does the nimitta only arise then or even in the early stages when sending metta to a respected person.
Based on what I have read in the book Knowing and Seeing by the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw, when one has a strong level of concentration, one will be able to vividly see the mental image of the person they are sending metta to. I think it’s recommended to do Mindfulness of breathing or Kasina before trying for metta jhana. In Kasina, one must extend the Kasina mental image in the ten directions. In Metta meditation, we must extend the range of our metta to beings in the ten directions.