I was happy to see the discussion of metta meditation last week. I began experimenting with the brahmaviharas in my meditations last summer (metta is the first of four), and felt reservations along the same lines. In particular, a line that is sometimes included: “May all beings live with ease” struck me as very wrong -- I would not wish a life of perfect ease for myself, so it felt wrong to wish it for others.
Nevertheless, I did see some value in a routine reaffirmation of goodwill towards others. And I definitely saw value in contemplating the dangers of ill-will towards others, in the forms of jealousy, envy, resentment, or the desire for revenge.
So my question is: have you found a comparable western practice or orientation that avoids these pitfalls?
Trying to think of some myself, I’ve come up a few along the lines of:
may all beings encounter the challenges they need to grow may all beings receive the blessings they desire may all beings live in harmony
But they feel a little clunky.
p.s. Thank you very much for the series on writing on the .net blog. The spontaneity trap especially cleared some things up for me.
metta meditation
I was happy to see the discussion of metta meditation last week. I began experimenting with the brahmaviharas in my meditations last summer (metta is the first of four), and felt reservations along the same lines. In particular, a line that is sometimes included: “May all beings live with ease” struck me as very wrong -- I would not wish a life of perfect ease for myself, so it felt wrong to wish it for others.
Nevertheless, I did see some value in a routine reaffirmation of goodwill towards others. And I definitely saw value in contemplating the dangers of ill-will towards others, in the forms of jealousy, envy, resentment, or the desire for revenge.
So my question is: have you found a comparable western practice or orientation that avoids these pitfalls?
Trying to think of some myself, I’ve come up a few along the lines of:
may all beings encounter the challenges they need to grow
may all beings receive the blessings they desire
may all beings live in harmony
But they feel a little clunky.
p.s. Thank you very much for the series on writing on the .net blog. The spontaneity trap especially cleared some things up for me.
Thanks,
Rusty