It’s good to be alive, to be able to breathe, to be able to pray, to be able to practice the dharma.
The compassion which arises from wisdom, like wisdom itself, is not something artificial, so not something we can construct by our efforts.
But we can use many methods to soften our sense of being an isolated, separate self… and bring ourselves into a more healthy orientation with those we see as ‘other’…a deconstruction of our ego-centrality…it’s all about me, mine, and my opinions.
Prayer is one such method… done with full attention the ever- present connection is energetically illuminated.
Then sitting up in bed I would say the Four Immeasurables prayer….
then some meditation before getting out of bed…a good start to the day!
1.
May I be full of loving-kindness
May I be well
May I be peaceful and at ease
May I be happy
2.
May all beings be happy, content and fulfilled
May they be healed and whole
May all have whatever they want and need
May they be protected from harm
and free from fear
May all know inner peace and ease
May they be awakened, liberated, free
May there be peace in our world
and throughout the universe
Variations on similar lines say would be:
May no sentient being be unhappy, malicious, or ill,
neglected or despised;
and may no one be despondent
and:
Courage to the fearful,
freedom to the enslaved,
strength to the week,
mutual affection to all sentient beings
( that’s a prayer from Shantideva’s writing of the Bodhicaryavatara ’the way of the bodisattva ‘)
3.
The Four Immeasurables prayer that we say in the group goes like this:
May all beings be happy and know the root of happiness (love)
May they be free from suffering and cut the root of suffering (compassion)
May they abide in happiness free from suffering (joy)
and may they be free from aversion and clinging – feeling close to some and distant from others (equanimity)
A full explanation of the profundity of this prayer is to be found in macclesfield audio talk 10
An alternative with the same meaning is:
May all sentient beings be free from aversion and clinging,
feeling close to some and distant from others
May they win the bliss that is specially sublime
May they find release from the ocean of unbearable suffering
and maybe they never be parted from freedom’s true joy
In this way we can begin every day with the wish to devote it to the good of all living beings,
to bring peace and ease into every situation we encounter,
to be able to develop the spaciousness and qualities – the wisdom and compassion – required to fulfil these wishes.
That should keep us going for a bit…!
If you later wish to take refuge… (i.e. step on the Buddhist path) and take the bodhisattva vow
there is a brief daily meditation practice (these are the foundational practices from a Buddhist perspective)
and much more!
Just let me know if anything doesn’t make sense and we can talk it through
…but also, if you keep an eye on the Simplybeing.co.uk website Homepage and also Events you will see there is more activity and suggestion coming from James as to how orientate yourself, to be most at ease in and able to work with this particular situation in which we find ourselves operating…