For this drawing I drove last year to Davenport and
parked in an area along the river called the “Gold Coast,” where charming
Victorian homes in various states of repair dot the hillside
overlooking the Mississippi River.
After I drew the house I decided to use the image
for our Christmas card, but I couldn’t resist adding the Buddhist metta (lovingkindness) meditation along
the side. The metta meditation can be
so powerful; if you haven't already, I invite you to memorize it and incorporate it into your
meditation practice.
Here’s a description of the metta from Quiet Mind: a
Beginners Guide to Meditation, compiled and edited by Susan Piver (Shambhala,
2008):
“The Pail word for
lovingkindess is metta. The practice
of metta helps us honor the urge toward happiness in both ourselves and others.
We develop the ability to embrace all parts of ourselves: the difficult aspects
as well as the noble. As we continue practicing from that base of inner
generosity, metta gives us the ability to embrace all parts of the world” (p.
55).
And, from pp. 58-62:
“Begin by sending metta
to yourself:
May I be free from
danger.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I live with ease.
“Move on to someone you
find inspiring or to whom you feel grateful. This person is called 'the benefactor.' Bring this person’s presence into your mind, and direct the metta
phrases to him or her:
May you be free from danger.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
“Next, move on to a
beloved friend, sending an unconditional lovingkindness to that person in the
same way:
May you be free from danger.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
“The next person is
called 'neutral.' This is somebody you neither like nor dislike. If you have
trouble coming up with a suitable neutral person, try thinking of a clerk
you’ve seen at the supermarket or perhaps someone who walks his dog past your
house. Again, use the same phrases you’ve used before, but this time directed
to the neutral person:
May you be free from danger.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
“Now you’re ready to
send lovingkindness to someone with whom you’ve had difficulty or conflict. To
send lovingkindness to difficult or threatening people is not to forget about
your own needs. It doesn’t require denial of your own pain, anger, or fear. Nor
does doing this practice mean you’re excusing abuse or cruelty. Rather, you’re
engaging in the marvelous process of discovering and cultivating your inherent
capacity for unconditional love.
May you be free from danger.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
“In the final phase of
the practice, we move on to offer metta to all beings everywhere, without
distinction or exception:
May you be free from danger.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
“In lovingkindness, our
minds are open and expansive – spacious enough to contain all the pleasures and
pains of a life fully lived. Pain, in this context, doesn’t feel like a
betrayal or an overwhelming force. It is part of the reality of human
experience and an opportunity for us to practice maintaining our authentic
presence. Every single one of us can cultivate lovingkindess and wisdom so that
happiness becomes our powerful and natural expression of being.”
