Day 24
Siddhartha, after he became Buddha (Awakened One) prescribed the Metta Prayer for his disciples. I learned this prayer from a Catholic Priest, Father Joe Pereira! I find the prescription very helpful for remembering kindness…
Metta means “good will or “loving kindness” and is one of the “Four Immeasurables” of Buddhism. These are mental qualities which are cultivated through practice. The other three are compassion (karuna), sympathetic joy (mudita), and equanimity (upeksha).
The prayer is designed to intentionalize a feeling of benevolence for oneself and others. There are many different versions. Here is the one I practice:
May I be filled with loving-kindness.
May I be well.
May I be peaceful and at ease.
May I be happy
May all beings be filled with loving-kindness.
May all beings be well.
May all beings be peaceful and at ease.
May all beings be happy.
Here is a standard translation of the Karaniya Metta Sutta:
Karaniya Metta Sutta:
The Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness
translated from the Pali by, The Amaravati Sangha
This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech,
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied,
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,
Not proud or demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born —
May all beings be at ease!
Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings;
Radiating kindness over the entire world:
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world..
Weren’t able to attend this mornings Sunday Session with Natalie Wright?
You can replay through the link below until midnight PST Monday.
THE DIGITAL STUDIO CLASS SCHEDULE
Today, Sunday January 24th
8-9:30am PST Sunday Session: Be Whole with Natalie Wright
10-11am PST Vinyasa with Sarah Manwaring
12-1:15pm PST Vinyasa with Samaneh Asgharzadeh
6-7:15pm PST Active Yin with Risto
Tomorrow, Monday January 25th
7:45-8:30am PST Power Flow with Amy Chalmers
9-10am PST Vinyasa with Guest Teacher Brenna Bote
6-7:15pm PST Slow Flow + Restore with Ariffa Lalani