A Buddhist Antidote To Fear And Anxiety | Devin Berry

What It Covers

Dan Harris speaks with Devin Berry, Dharma teacher at Spirit Rock and the Insight Meditation Society, about Metta (loving kindness) meditation and the four Brahma Viharas. Berry, a self-described formerly angry and aversive person, explains how these practices function as antidotes to fear, anxiety, and separation, and why mindfulness alone is insufficient for psychological transformation.

Key Questions Answered

• •Metta as fear antidote: The Buddha originally designed Metta practice specifically to counter fear, not just to cultivate warmth. The origin story involves monks unable to practice due to terror from forest spirits — Metta was the prescribed protection. Practitioners experiencing anxiety can reframe the practice as a direct neurological and psychological shield rather than a feel-good exercise, making it more accessible to skeptical or aversive personalities.
• •Lower the bar to start: Expecting emotional breakthroughs or feelings of unconditional love during Metta practice is a primary reason people quit. Berry recommends accepting non-ill-will — simply not wanting harm for someone — as a fully valid outcome. Starting with an easy being (a pet or child) primes the emotional pump before moving to self, mentor, neutral person, difficult person, and finally all beings.
• •Customize phrases for resonance: Generic Metta phrases like "may you be happy" can feel hollow and mechanical. Berry advises creating personalized phrases that carry genuine meaning — for example, replacing "happiness" with "joy and contentment" if that word resonates more deeply. The phrases function as pointers toward an underlying felt sense, not scripts to recite. When concentration deepens, even single words can replace full phrases.
• •The four Brahma Viharas work as a system: Metta (loving kindness), Karuna (compassion), Mudita (sympathetic joy), and Upekkha (equanimity) are interdependent skills, not isolated practices. Metta is foundational and should be practiced first. Mudita practice becomes significantly easier after sustained Metta sessions because residual warmth carries over. Equanimity — described via the Pali phrase "Tatra Majatata," meaning standing in the middle of all this — enables practitioners to witness difficulty without collapsing or strategizing prematurely.
• •Dana (generosity) as a parallel path: Mindfulness meditation is not universally accessible, particularly for people with trauma histories. Berry positions Dana — generosity of time, money, and spirit — as an equally valid entry point into Buddhist practice. Generosity functions as a letting-go practice, dissolving ego-attachment through giving rather than through sitting. Berry spent 2023 systematically practicing Dana, including tipping Uber drivers generously and building genuine connections with recent immigrants who were also Buddhist practitioners.
• •Metta builds concentration toward Jhana states: Metta is a formal concentration practice, not just a heart-opening exercise. Sustained Metta practice quiets mental chatter and can lead toward Jhana — deep absorption states associated with profound stillness and bliss. However, Berry warns that actively craving Jhana creates the exact mental greed that prevents it. The practical instruction is to cultivate Metta for its own sake over extended retreat periods and allow concentration to deepen without targeting specific outcomes.