Understanding People Through The Divine Abodes
Take your rightful place, ascend to the divine. Attain the Divine Abodes and free your mind, free your 'self'. What are the divine abodes? They are four psychological states of existence that sets a mind free. They are states of mind of release and freedom. Release and freedom from what? Ultimately, they are release and freedom from all that causes you to suffer. They are the release from those 'conditioned' events that trap you.
The Divine Abodes are:
- Kindness (metta)
- Compassion (karuna)
- Joy (mudita)
- Equanimity (uppekha)
(In the ancient Pali language these states are called Brahma-viharas.)
The attainment of these elevated states of mind bring you to release, rapture, joy, calm, tranquility and the ultimate composure, even in the most difficult situations. Why? Well think about it. If you attain and maintain these states, their opposites don't have a chance to take hold of you.
The opposite of kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity cannot work their way into your psyche, twisting your mind around into a state of confusion or non-clarity. (That is, aversion, hatred, laziness, anxiety, depression, etc.) From this, you stay clear, understanding that an individual that behaves in less than flattering ways, lacks the wisdom to understand and behave in flattering ways.
How can you attain these states? Sit in meditation, contemplating their context and meaning. While sitting, bring them into your essence, your state of being. Make them a part of you. Then, carry them with you wherever you go, however you go. Do this and you will see and feel the difference in your life.
"One dwells filling their heart with kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, everywhere, in all directions free from enmity, free from distress..."
-Sakyamuni, DN 13
