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Foundations of Meditation: Lovingkindness, Class IV
- Welcome: Story/How is your practice?
- Review: last time we discussed how fear, greed and hatred throus us into thinking and how we fabricate the “story of me.” We can use metta anytime to interrupt this self perpetuating loop
- Tonight generosity and friendship
- About generosity: foundational for the Dharma path
- One of the many expressions metta. While we become disconnected through fear, greed aand hatred, we connect through generosity, this giving
- We would not be here if not for generosity, someone has given to us; gratitude informs generosity, gratitude is a way of self care
- The practice of giving is the practice of recieving, we are all in this together!
- Like metta, generosity has no bias: open heartedness to all beings
- We begin to understand that there is nothing that we own, we are training our hearts to be responsive to be for the needs of others
- Different ways of generosity: our virtue, our presence, our protection, we all have something to give
- A 2006 study by researcher Jorge Moll and his colleagues at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that the “warm glow” effect from altruistic giving involves brain networks that are associated with reward, social connection, and attachment
- We would not be here if not for generosity of generosity; gratitude informs generosity, gratitude is a way of self care
- Reflection: on how others have given to you, what can you give to others
- Gratitude story, see below
III.Friendship: Throughout the suttas the Buddha told us the importance of wise friendship. “One can be expected to develop on the Noble Eightfold Path. Reflection (in groups: p36-39 “Boundless Heart.” )
- Wise friendship interrupts the internal loop of perfectionism and blame. Formal practice helps us to remember instead of being lost in that loop.
- Wise friendship assists with all of the wholesome mental conditioners. To this point, mindfulness, investigation, effort, joy, calm attraction and equanimity. Wise friendship is therapeutic. We love our friend especially when they are in pain.
- We love our friends especially when they are in pain. Our friends love us when we are in pain.
IV. Assignments, week V: Practice meditation; do one act of generosity without being found out; practice kindness in your daily life; Read p 41-51, Boundless Heart, by Christina Feldman.
V. Guided Meditation Transcript:
Guided Meditation: Loving Kindness towards a Friend
This is Andy Quinn, and I am with the Lakeland (Florida) Insight Meditation Group.
Credit Christina Feldman and her book “Boundless Heart.”
Settling. Relaxing. Poised posture. Becoming receptive to what life bring us. Practicing three long inhalations, exhalations, and giving little more on the exhalation.
Setting an intention of kindness during this practice period.
Beginning to attend to this body breathing with gentle attention. Bringing gentle attention to the chest just beneath the sternum.
With the breathing in the background, beginning to reflect on a gladdening experience. This may be a recent encounter with a person where you felt warmth, gratitude or friendship.
Bringing to mind a friend. Allowing for images of your friend. Considering the energy between you and your friend. Wishing your friend well.
May to be safe and well
May you be peaceful
May you live in ease and kindness.
Scanning your body from head to toe. Finding any areas of tension, with a mindful and gentle attention, wish this area well
May I be safe and well in the midst of this
(Pause)
May I be peaceful within this body
(Pause)
May I rest with ease and kindness in this moment
(Pause)
Kindness
One never knows
How far a word of kindness goes;
One never sees
How far a smile of friendship flees.
Down, through the years,
The deed forgotten reappears.
One kindly word
The souls of many here has stirred.
Man goes his way
And tells with every passing day,
Until life’s end:
“Once unto me he played the friend.”
We cannot say
What lips are praising us to-day.
We cannot tell
Whose prayers ask God to guard us well.
But kindness lives
Beyond the memory of him who gives.
Edgar Guest