The Brahma Viharas or Heavenly Abodes, have been likened to a magnificent tree. The deep, far ranging roots and sturdy resilient trunk are Metta; the open arms of the branches rising up out of the fullness of Metta are Compassion and Sympathetic Joy; the tree as a whole reflects the deep peace of Equanimity. The Brahma Viharas tree provides a Heavenly Abode for the creatures who live within its realm. Come and sit for a while with Sanghagita in the shade of the tree and explore how it is possible for us to live in heaven on earth. In a famous passage in the Itivutakka The Buddha compares Metta to the radiance of the sun and moon. He says that metta ‘shines and burns and blazes forth in surpassing all other acts of good’ and that ‘Whoever sets their mind to make goodwill grow Boundless’ ...will become Enlightened! In this Sangha Night series we will be using another famous teaching on metta, The Karaniya Metta Sutta, to take a really good look at the Metta Bhavana practice, both on the cushion and in daily life. Over the coming weeks we will be asking ‘Can metta really be a path to Enlightenment?’ and we will come to realise that The Buddha’s path to liberation can also be seen as ‘Living with Kindness’.