Mettamancy is the art of cultivating and embodying metta (unconditional, nondiscriminatory goodwill) across the whole web of life.
While drawing inspiration from the Pali word metta, mettamancy extends beyond traditional Buddhist frameworks to embrace diverse expressions of wisdom and compassion found across human cultures and traditions.
Etymology
The term “mettamancy” derives from the Pāli word metta, traditionally translated as “loving-kindness” or “friendliness,” which forms one of the four brahmavihāras (sublime abodes) in Buddhist meditation practice. The suffix “-mancy” indicates a practiced art or skill, suggesting the intentional cultivation and application of loving-kindness as a transformative practice.
Unlike traditional metta meditation, which typically focuses on individual contemplative development, mettamancy explicitly connects personal spiritual practice with collective action for social justice and ecological restoration.
Philosophy
Universal benevolence
At its heart, mettamancy recognizes the loving friendliness of metta as a quality present in all beings, viewing its cultivation not as the creation of something new but as the nurturing of what already exists and is available within us.
Mettamancy also recognizes that teachings on metta can be found across time and culture. From the Igbo concept of personhood through the four Brahmaviharas, mettamancy draws from this rich tapestry of wisdom.
It is no surprise that a mettamancer remains open to diverse expressions of love and interbeing, engaging in practices that honour these wisdom traditions while remaining accessible and authentic.
Interbeing and Kinship Ecology
Mettamancy embraces a relational ontology that recognizes our kinship with all life forms. Deeply resonant with the concept of interbeing coined by Thich Nhat Hanh, this view perceives humans as part of an indivisible lifeworld where our identity and wellbeing are inseparable from the broader web of life.
In practice, this involves extending love to all beings without exception, however difficult it may be, as a commitment to recognising the profound interconnectedness of life.
Through this lens, practitioners cultivate a sense of responsibility as ancestors-in-training for future generations of all beings. Not only humans but all participants in the web of life, acknowledging our place within larger ecological systems.
Systems approach
Mettamancy approaches the cultivation of metta through an ecological and systemic lens, recognizing that personal transformation and collective wellbeing are inseparable.
In the language of contemporary systems thinking, mettamancy views metta as leverage point in complex social-ecological systems, where personal acts of compassion can create ripple effects that influence broader patterns of relationship and institutional change.
Cultural considerations
On cultural appropriation
While drawing from various traditions, mettamancy maintains careful attention to avoiding cultural appropriation. This includes:
- Attribution
Acknowledging the origins of practices and maintaining appropriate context. - Adaptation without dilution
Allowing practices to evolve while preserving their ethos. - Reciprocity
Offering material support and solidarity to source communities.
Integration through practice
The art of mettamancy weaves metta into the fabric of daily life through intentional actions and embodied microrituals.
At the Collective, we strive to naturally integrate metta cultivation into daily activities rather than sacralising into elaborate or dogmatic rituals (being wary of the Ten Fetters). As mettamancers, we choose adaptation while maintaining consistency, creating sustainable bridges between cultivating within and expressing without.
In addition, the Collective strives to cultivate covens that represent nodes for peace and transformation. These communities extend beyond formal gatherings to create networks of practitioners dedicated to embodying and sharing metta. Through peace education and collective practice, these communities become catalysts for social transformation, fostering understanding and harmony across different cultural contexts.
Living Evolution
The art of mettamancy unfolds through the principles of the Mettamancer's Creed, which emphasizes peace (both positive and negative), empathy, celebration of kindness, serenity, and ecological harmony. These principles guide both personal practice and collective engagement while remaining responsive to emerging needs and contexts.
As a nascent movement, the Mettamancy Collective enables practitioners to share experiences and develop new practices. Through resources like the Mettamancer's Codex, we collect and share wisdom gained through practice, remaining open to incorporating new insights while maintaining our core focus on metta.
All these aspects of mettamancy, from daily microrituals to community gatherings, from personal transformation to collective evolution, are unified by their purpose of cultivating and spreading peace and goodwill throughout the web of life.
