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| picture from here http://ayshfi.wordpress.com/2011/06/04/random-act-of-kindness/ |
Pre practice I sat for some Loving Kindness meditation and for some reason or other decided to bring that into may asana practice, my Primary series. I've explored Mahasati in practice recently and mantra often, this was an extension of that.
So basically on the inhalation I mentally recited
May I be filled with loving kindness
on the exhalation
May I be safe and well
on the next inhalation
May I be peaceful and at ease
and on the exhalation
May I be happy
...and then continued that throughout the whole practice, every breath, every inhalation, every exhalation for going on two hours.
It was interesting because one part of the mantra would have more resonance, speak a little louder, in different asana, at different stages of an asana.
in Janu C say where I have some old nagging pains in my left knee for example, 'May I be safe and well', seemed particularly timely, In Mari D 'May I be Peaceful and at ease', again timely, especially the 'at ease' bit and so on in Kurmasana and supta kurmasana 'May I be Happy' and always, throughout the practice 'May I be filled with loving kindness'...to myself..... in my practice and of course beyond my practice.
Oh the Buddha was smart, he knew us so well. Love your neighbour, sure, love your enemy as yourself, great....but how do you go about doing that Lord?
Begin with yourself says the Buddha, be kind to yourself, fill yourself with loving kindness and then when you can be kinder to yourself then think about being kind to others, your teacher, your, family and friends, your sangha, community, to those outside of your community, to your enemies, to the fallen, to all beings, to all beings that have been, to all beings that are yet to be.....
So you start with yourself ( not just because it's you so much but because your the being closest to hand and can then project it outwards) and it's never struck home as powerfully as saying that mantra over and over in my mind through my Ashtanga practice, be kind to yourself in your practice, be peaceful in your practice, be at ease, be safe, be well.......be happy in your practice.
Because so often in our Ashtanga we aren't perhaps being kind to ourselves, so often we push ourselves a little too hard, I know I used to, less so now perhaps but sometimes still no doubt. And maybe we aren't always being as safe as we could be, or as peaceful and certainly not as at ease, and are we as happy as we want to be in our practice. Much of the time perhaps, most of the time, maybe,...all of the time?
May I be filled with loving kindness
filled
Two hours of that in the morning and I guarantee it'll carry on through part of your day, it's a nice practice.
There are several versions of loving kindness meditation, this is just the one I'm using currently
May I be filled with loving kindness
May I be safe and well
May I be peaceful and at ease
May I be happy
I'm thinking a week of this practice, starting Sunday.
****
I have some other old posts on loving kindness, just hunted them out.
from
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Live lightly..... Metta Sutta
Owl and Karen alluded to this in a post over at Insideowl, I have softspot for Gil's translation. Highly recommend Gil's Talks on Loving Kindness and Mindfulness on theZencast podcast (links to come later as I'm currently on my blogger unfriendly iPad).
See also my earlier post Loving Kindness
METTA SUTTA
To reach the state of peace
Those skilled in the Good
Should be
Capable and upright, Straightforward and easy to speak to, Gentle and not proud,
Contented and easily supported,
Living lightly and with few duties,
Wise and with senses calmed,
Not arrogant and without greed for supporters,
And they should not do the least thing that the wise would criticize. [They should reflect:]
"May all be happy and secure;
May all beings be happy at heart.
All living beings, whether weak or strong, Tall, large, medium, or short,
Tiny or big,
Seen or unseen,
Near or distant,
Born or to be born,
May they all be happy."
Let no one deceive another
Or despise anyone anywhere;
Let no one through anger or aversion Wish for others to suffer.
As a mother would risk her own life To protect her child, her only child, So toward all beings should one Cultivate a boundless heart.
With loving-kindness for the whole world
Should one cultivate a boundless heart,
Above, below, and all around
Without obstruction, without hate and without ill-will. Standing or walking, sitting or lying down,
As long as one is alert,
May one stay with this recollection.
This is called a sublime abiding, here and now. Whoever is virtuous, endowed with vision,
Not taken by views,
And having overcome all greed for sensual pleasure Will not be reborn again.
Translated by Gil Fronsdal
See also my earlier post Loving Kindness
METTA SUTTA
To reach the state of peace
Those skilled in the Good
Should be
Capable and upright, Straightforward and easy to speak to, Gentle and not proud,
Contented and easily supported,
Living lightly and with few duties,
Wise and with senses calmed,
Not arrogant and without greed for supporters,
And they should not do the least thing that the wise would criticize. [They should reflect:]
"May all be happy and secure;
May all beings be happy at heart.
All living beings, whether weak or strong, Tall, large, medium, or short,
Tiny or big,
Seen or unseen,
Near or distant,
Born or to be born,
May they all be happy."
Let no one deceive another
Or despise anyone anywhere;
Let no one through anger or aversion Wish for others to suffer.
As a mother would risk her own life To protect her child, her only child, So toward all beings should one Cultivate a boundless heart.
With loving-kindness for the whole world
Should one cultivate a boundless heart,
Above, below, and all around
Without obstruction, without hate and without ill-will. Standing or walking, sitting or lying down,
As long as one is alert,
May one stay with this recollection.
This is called a sublime abiding, here and now. Whoever is virtuous, endowed with vision,
Not taken by views,
And having overcome all greed for sensual pleasure Will not be reborn again.
Translated by Gil Fronsdal
***
from
3 comments:
Will try this out on Sunday. I live in permanent danger of becoming a mantra, mudra, and amulet hoarder. :)
Beautiful, Anthony _/\_
I'm thinking a full week on this Maria, starting Sunday
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