What My Meditation Practise Has Bought To Me...

When I think back to what first bought me to the meditation practice I have today, it was a little handbook that I picked up at a garage sale.

You see, I was having issue dealing with my anger. I would play scenarios over and over in my head and it was effecting my sleep plus other issues effecting my well being.

In this little handbook it said -

Turn that anger into love and if you can't do that, walk away

That little bit of advise served me well even to this day!

I started looking deeper into Dhamma texts (that handbook was a Buddhists handbook) studying all the wealth of knowledge and wisdom I was finding there and it was around this time that I also met my now, husband, who had been a meditation teacher for years in the Sayagyi U Ba Khin Tradition of Vipassana meditation.

Our Dhamma Library

He had a wonderful library of Dhamma texts which I delved into and which bought about many Dhamma discussions and lead me to taking a Vipassana meditation course.

All this changed the course of my life. I had more meaning and purpose in my life, more understanding of life and it's impermanent nature.

I got to know myself better too, as I sat quietly, being aware of the rising and falling of my breath and the sensations of my body, I would be aware of being caught up in my thoughts and that they were just that - thoughts, so I would pull myself back to my breath and sensations.

I would feel anxiety arising or excitement and recognize them for what they were and not be taken away by them.

I was gaining the ability to see things equanimously and I would practice that in a Metta (loving-kindness) meditation. See the post I did earlier on Metta (Loving Kindness) which describes more about it and gives the benefits of developing loving kindness, Here and a post on developing it even further with Equanimity Here

In that post I describe the development of loving kindness as working towards being able to have loving kindness at will, being able to send loving kindness without making any discrimination between yourself, a friend, a neutral person or a hostile person. Working towards being able to send loving kindness towards all beings.

I worked with this order so I didn't fall into the trap of hatred or desire.

1-Loving kindness towards yourself.
Doing it with the realization that just as you want to be happy and not suffer, so too do other beings want the same thing. Start with yourself first for it can be very difficult to range out from love towards a dear friend and then switch to love to someone you feel neutral to and anger can often arise when you think of a hostile person. So start by wishing yourself to be happy and peaceful, free from suffering.
2-Loving kindness towards a teacher or mentor.
When you recollect all they have given you, or their kind words,etc. Think, "May this good person be happy and free from suffering"
3-Loving kindness toward a dearly loved friend.
These first three, when sending loving kindness out to them, makes your mind malleable and wielding before you go on to the next group.
4-Loving Kindness to a neutral person.
Do this as if you are sending it to a dear friend.
5-Loving kindness towards a hostile person.
Do this as if you were sending it towards a neutral person.

I would end these sittings (meditation sessions) with a wish that all beings be happy and peaceful, and that peace and harmony prevail in this world. That there may be peace on earth and goodwill towards all mankind and all beings.

When you look at the world with this perspective it takes on a whole different light.

That is how I want to live my life, in peace and harmony, and my meditation practice plays a big part in having it come about.
I'll be posting more on that in future posts. Until then I hope you find much peace and love in your life too!

I cordially invite you to Mindful Life community, which is only just beginning in the @naturalmedicine server here. We plan to run group meditations and support each other as we grow through conscious awareness, and there is a big group meditation for all of Steemit coming up on May 1! Exciting times! With much love!

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