Love and Kindness Archives - Mindful Happiness

June 21, 2019 By Admin

Loving Kindness – An Alternative Version

The writings of Thich Nhat Hanh offer a different version of Loving Kindness Meditation or Metta (Pali). This version may be influenced by Buddhaghosa in Visuddhimagga (or The Path to Purification, fifth century system of The Buddha’s teachings). The reality of no-self, or a static, permanent and inherent self is a core teaching of Buddhism; however, humans do experience life in Samsara via their perceived self – the experiencer of events and circumstances. Sensory awareness and mental formation make our realities. It is important to know yourself well, thus it is important to go deeper and deeper into the sources of your self-experiences. Negative emotions and feelings cause great suffering; fears and internal turmoil prevent happiness. To move beyond suffering, we need to understand and experience self-compassion and self-love. Our best hope may be the regular practice of Loving Kindness Meditation, especially if we are able to feel (interoception) the words as they transform inner body feelings and mind-thoughts. Here is a version of loving kindness. Try it. I have made several of my own adjustments in wording.

May I be free from suffering, aversion, and emotional conflict.

May I be mindful of peace and affection.

May I experience the inner light of my soul and feel safe.

May I learn from the loving spirit of myself.

May I be free from all afflictions, including greed, craving, fear, anger, and negative moods.

May I practice freeing myself from the skandhas of form (body), feelings, perception, mental formations, and consciousness.

May I learn to be at peace in impermanence when such things arise.

May I liberate myself from the suffering of my own “second arrows.”

May I allow myself the inner joy of silence.

May I accept and love myself.

May I be happy.

For more information refer to Thich Nhat Hanh (2014). No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering. Parallax Press.

Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont and the Home of The Monkton Sangha

Author of Mindful Happiness

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

September 30, 2017 By Admin

The “I AM THAT” Meditation

Elena Brower’s new book, Practice You: A Journal (Sounds True, 2017) has many thoughtful suggestions on how to connect with the true inner self, and – more importantly – how to improve your self-views and the experience of your deep inner self. Below I have modified her presentation of the “I Am Exploration” meditation. My modifications bring in very subtle Vedanta and cognitive-behavioral implications. This is a quick, useful, and relatively easy meditation to practice. Here are the modified instructions.

Sit in a comfortable meditation posture and add a hand mudra of your choice.
Become as grounded as possible, and begin to breathe slow, deep, rhythmic breaths.
Continue to deepen and slow your breathing, and be inside your present moment body.
Be your slow, deep breath. Decide if you wish your eyes to be opened or closed.
Now contemplate how you view yourself. Do so in a general manner for now.
Decide on a few key words and images that you feel define you – the “I Am” part of you.
Decide what your current attitude is about who/what you are.
Are you satisfied? Are you content? Are you happy? Are you overly anxious or depressed?
Regarding who you are now and what you wish to become, what is your most powerful emotional need right now?
Contemplate meeting this emotional need. What have you noticed about your inner peace and wisdom?
Now deeply meditate on how you will make one change that brings you closer emotionally to your most pressing emotional need. What do you need to do? When will you do it? Who will help you?
Notice any insights and body-based sensations that have come up during this process.
Sit quietly for a moment before ending this meditation. Contemplate the implications.

Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont

Author of Mindful Happiness

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

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