BV-Metta & Life is short
In Zen retreats, a chant is recited each evening before bedtime:
Let me respectfully remind you
That life and death are of supreme importance.
Time swiftly passes by, and opportunity is lost.
Each of us should strive to awaken, Awaken!
Take heed. Do not squander your life.
Recently, I heard a quotation that connects the theme of waking up to the truth of impermanence with the practice of metta or lovingkindness:
Life is short and we have little time
To gladden the hearts
Of those who travel with us.
So, be quick to love.
And make haste to be kind.
The Buddha taught, “The greatest protection in all the world is loving kindness” …. “Knowing life is short, how can we quarrel?” …. “Like a caring mother holding and guarding the life of her only child, so with a boundless heart of lovingkindness, hold yourself and all beings as your beloved children.”
In his book, The Heart of Understanding, Thich Nhat Hanh wrote about the importance of appreciating the miracle of each precious life: “Because we live with a person for 20 or 30 years, we have the impression that we know everything about him or her. So, while driving in the car with that person sitting right next to us, we think about other things. We aren’t interested in him anymore. What arrogance! The person sitting there beside us is really a mystery! We have the impression that we know him, but we don’t know anything yet. If we look with the eyes of [loving compassion], we see that even one hair of that person is the entire cosmos. One hair on his head can be a door opening to the ultimate reality…. When you see [the ‘interbeing’ of] you, a speck of dust, and all things, you will understand that this is so…”
Jack Kornfield reminds us of the essence of metta: “Lovingkindness gives us the capacity to care for and bless whatever is before us. It is a freedom and happiness with no cause, fulfilled and sufficient in itself. From [an] open heart, love brings a generous spirit to each moment and each encounter…. There is no hardship and no difficulty that enough love cannot conquer, no distance that enough love cannot span, no barrier that enough love cannot overcome.”
Now we’ll practice a guided metta meditation adapted from Jack’s book, The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace.
Sit comfortably with eyes closed, and let your heart be soft.
Let go of any plans and preoccupations.
Breathe gently into the area of the heart.
Beginning with yourself, repeat four traditional phrases directed to your wellbeing. If it’s difficult to connect with your lovability, bring to mind someone you trust
who loves you, and look through their eyes at the essence of who you are, beneath any habitual conditioning. You might wish to place a hand lightly on your heart, offering yourself a loving gesture.
May I be filled with lovingkindness.
May I be healthy in body and mind.
From inner and outer harm may I be safe.
May I be happy and at ease.
As you repeat these phrases, you may picture yourself as you are now. Or you may find it easier to imagine yourself as a young, beloved child. Let loving feelings permeate your body and mind.
Sometimes metta practice may feel mechanical or awkward. In the process of purifying the heart, it can also bring up feelings contrary to lovingkindness, feelings of irritation or anger. If this happens, be patient and tender towards yourself, receiving whatever arises in a spirit of friendliness and kind attention.
May I be filled with lovingkindness.
May I be healthy in body and mind.
From inner and outer harm may I be safe.
May I be happy and at ease.
When you have established a sense of lovingkindness towards yourself, expand the meditation to include a benefactor or mentor, someone who has loved or truly cared for you. Expressing gratitude to our benefactors is a natural form of love. Picture or have a felt sense of this person as you repeat the following phrases:
May you be filled with lovingkindness.
May you be healthy in body and mind.
From inner and outer harm may you be safe.
May you be happy and at ease.
Once you feel a heartfelt connection, exhale and let go of the image or felt sense of your benefactor. Open your heart to include someone you love, picturing or sensing the presence of this beloved one, and repeating:
May you be filled with lovingkindness.
May you be healthy in body and mind.
From inner and outer harm may you be safe.
May you be happy and at ease.
Notice how your appreciation for this person gladdens your heart. With gratitude, exhale and let go of the image or felt sense of this dear one. Return to the sensation of breathing into the area of the heart.
Gradually extend the practice to include a neutral person, whom you do not know well. You may have passed this person on the street or in a store. Or someone you don’t know well may be in our meditation sangha tonight. Remember that all beings are worthy of love. Connecting with a visual image or a felt sense, repeat the phrases and direct them to this neutral person.
May you be filled with lovingkindness.
May you be healthy in body and mind.
From inner and outer harm may you be safe.
May you be happy and at ease.
With a deep exhalation, let go of the image or felt sense of the neutral person. As your heart expands, include a person you find difficult to love—someone with whom you have unfinished business or even conflicts. As you picture or have a felt sense of this person, recall that metta practice is for your own benefit and freedom, so that you release the burden of carrying hatred or resentment. If you feel ready, direct the phrases towards the person who is challenging for you to love:
May you be filled with lovingkindness.
May you be healthy in body and mind.
From inner and outer harm may you be safe.
May you be happy and at ease.
Exhaling deeply, let go of the image or felt sense of the person who is difficult for you to love. Breathe gently into the area of the heart. Now allow your mind to expand, imagining all the human beings who share life with us—all babies, toddlers, children, teens, adults, and elders, including those of every religion and those with none, those of every race, class, and ethnicity, the poor and the wealthy, the ill and the healthy, those in danger and in safety, and those at war and in peace.
Send metta to all people around the world:
May you be filled with lovingkindness.
May you be healthy in body and mind.
From inner and outer harm may you be safe.
May you be happy and at ease.
Finally, allow your awareness to open out in all directions. In this vast space, sense that your loving presence is holding all beings, encompassing creatures that fly and swim and run, including birds, butterflies, fish, whales, elephants, dogs, and cats. Sense your heart caring for all forms of life, including trees, grasses, mosses, ferns, and flowers.
With awareness of the precious mystery in every manifestation of life, send metta to all beings near and far:
May all beings everywhere be filled with lovingkindness.
May all beings everywhere be healthy.
From inner and outer harm may all beings be safe.
May all beings everywhere be happy and at ease.
Be aware of the sensations in your heart, before exhaling and letting go of this expansive state. Sense your grounding here and now in this moment. Whenever you are ready, allow your eyes to open. Bring attention to your dharma friends whose efforts are supporting your metta practice.