theravadan and shikantaza

[befriend]

Hi everyone,
i really enjoy doing shikantaza, the zen meditation, because i can do it during daily activities all day if i wanted to. but i dont want it to damage my progress with the brahma viharas. are these two practices ok to combine? ive heard shikantaza is a mixture of samatha and vipassana so i dont think it would be bad to practice the brahma viharas with shikantaza but i am not sure. thank you. metta, Befriend

[Ben]

Greeting befriend,

Metta Bhavana is often used in conjunction with Vipassana (Satipatthana) within the Theravada as they are complementary. I am not familiar with the zen practice of shikentaza and nor am I qualified to indicate to you whethr you can practice the two. Perhaps it is a question best put to your teacher or guide.
kind regards

Ben

[pilgrim]

Imho, shikantaza is a Mahayana practice that is closest to traditional Theravada mediation practices, particularly cittanupassana or watching the mind, one of the 4 objects of Satipatthana practice. I see no reason why the brahma-viharas cannot be practised separately but in conjunction with shikantaza, just as it is practised together with various meditation objects within Theravada practice.