We started a new 8-week cycle of Buddhist exploration at 8 am this morning - looking at the "four immeasurables" of loving kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), sympathetic joy (mudita) and equanimity (uppekha). We began with a meditation, exploring the atmosphere of our own minds. Are we irritated, grumpy or unkind about the phenomena of our mind?
In the discussion, we looked at the aversion many of us in the West have about wishing ourselves well...
Here's a snippet from that discussion:
Alistair, the words in this "snippet", as you call it, are very profound for me. I have meditated on them at several points throughout the day and will continue to do so. As a Westerner, and one brought up from a young child to believe in a judgmental God, your teaching is revolutionary. You give so much to us, your students, Alistair. Thank you! xx