One of the things I am trying to accomplish in this blog is to make the concepts of Buddhism and meditation accessible to everyone. As I have mentioned before, this is what the Buddha was trying to do, too. Most of the complications that have arisen, the rifts and the different "schools"of Buddhism are all, in my opinion, the manifestation of the egos of those who came after the Buddha and not the intention of the Buddha. In fact, I think he would be quite amused to find that such simple teachings have derived so many meanings, and even more amused (as well as sad) to find they have created strife among those who follow his teachings.
However, while I have been speaking of these practices in the simplest way possible, it should also be understood that all of them can be practiced to even greater depth and that the rewards from them will deepen accordingly. This does not mean that you cannot be perfectly happy and content with just the basics; it simply means that, if the basic practice excites and invigorates you, then some of the deeper practices might as well. I think of it like learning to play the piano. You can learn to play simple pieces well and enjoy that immensely; but if the prospect of going deeper interests you, you can garner even more satisfaction from learning and practicing more.
I mentioned some time back the concept of lovingkindness, and gave a brief description of it. This was in the post on the brahma viharas. I was very concise there, but it can be very worthwhile to go deeper into this essential practice. (By the way, one of the best books on this subject is this one by Sharon Salzberg, in case you are interested in reading more).
Lovingkindness is the state of pointing your heart in the direction of love for all beings, including yourself. Now, before you roll your eyes and think of this as just another simpleminded feel-good ploy, remember that it is one of the cornerstones of the teachings of the Buddha, and that millions of people for thousands of years have practiced it to their benefit.
As a species, we have a certain reactivity to any challenge or any person who annoys or angers us. This is an automatic response that grows out of some primordial feeling of being unsafe. If we have grown up in environments of abuse or feeling threatened in some way, this feeling is deeply ingrained. Lovingkindness is not an attempt to make these feelings go away; rather, it might be thought of as an antidote to the poison of our agitation and anger.
The practice of lovingkindness is deceptively simple. Of course, you can do it any way you choose, but the usual practice is to say phrases either silently or aloud, whichever you are more comfortable with. Some people do this as part of their meditation session and others do it at another time.
Here are some phrases that are commonly used:
"May I be free from danger.
May I be happy.
May I be strong.
May I have ease and well-being.
May I have serenity.
May I know peace."
It is fairly typical to start with ourselves and then work our way outward, moving to a loved one next, then a mentor or someone else who has been very supportive, then to someone neutral, then to someone who bugs you a little, then to someone you consider an enemy. These phrases (or some of your choosing) are repeated over and over until the time you have designated is through. At then end, the phrases of lovingkindness are extended to all beings everywhere.
This practice can be transformative. It is important to understand that this is not some incantation intended to change the reality of what exists. Instead, this is a way of turning our minds away from negativity and reactivity toward love and wishing well for all beings. This is, indeed, a major change for most of us. No matter how hard we try, we seem to drift back into resentment, anger, sadness, and despair. But these are not constructive emotions and build nothing, whereas lovingkindness creates an atmosphere in which goodness can grow.
I mentioned some time back the concept of lovingkindness, and gave a brief description of it. This was in the post on the brahma viharas. I was very concise there, but it can be very worthwhile to go deeper into this essential practice. (By the way, one of the best books on this subject is this one by Sharon Salzberg, in case you are interested in reading more).
Lovingkindness is the state of pointing your heart in the direction of love for all beings, including yourself. Now, before you roll your eyes and think of this as just another simpleminded feel-good ploy, remember that it is one of the cornerstones of the teachings of the Buddha, and that millions of people for thousands of years have practiced it to their benefit.
As a species, we have a certain reactivity to any challenge or any person who annoys or angers us. This is an automatic response that grows out of some primordial feeling of being unsafe. If we have grown up in environments of abuse or feeling threatened in some way, this feeling is deeply ingrained. Lovingkindness is not an attempt to make these feelings go away; rather, it might be thought of as an antidote to the poison of our agitation and anger.
The practice of lovingkindness is deceptively simple. Of course, you can do it any way you choose, but the usual practice is to say phrases either silently or aloud, whichever you are more comfortable with. Some people do this as part of their meditation session and others do it at another time.
Here are some phrases that are commonly used:"May I be free from danger.
May I be happy.
May I be strong.
May I have ease and well-being.
May I have serenity.
May I know peace."
It is fairly typical to start with ourselves and then work our way outward, moving to a loved one next, then a mentor or someone else who has been very supportive, then to someone neutral, then to someone who bugs you a little, then to someone you consider an enemy. These phrases (or some of your choosing) are repeated over and over until the time you have designated is through. At then end, the phrases of lovingkindness are extended to all beings everywhere.
This practice can be transformative. It is important to understand that this is not some incantation intended to change the reality of what exists. Instead, this is a way of turning our minds away from negativity and reactivity toward love and wishing well for all beings. This is, indeed, a major change for most of us. No matter how hard we try, we seem to drift back into resentment, anger, sadness, and despair. But these are not constructive emotions and build nothing, whereas lovingkindness creates an atmosphere in which goodness can grow.
this is just what I needed to read. I am at a five day workshop in close company with someone who is a source of great irritation. I needed some better tools for getting along with her beyond "love and tolerance of others is our code"
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