Enjoying a first snowfall this morning....only a dusting.
REFLECTIONS-
The near and far enemies of Buddhist Heart Practices: relational in their expression - the Brhamaviharas...
The near and far enemies of Buddhist Heart Practices: relational in their expression - the Brhamaviharas...
Per Feldman, these practices are 'our best home'...the best way of living in the world; cultivating an attitudinal commitment of friendliness to all beings...attitude of kindness...seeds within that can be cultivated to arrive at happiness
- loving-kindness,
- compassion,
- sympathetic joy
- equanimity
Wishing all beings well. We need both wings of practice: the wing of wisdom...and the wing of compassion.
The near and far enemies of these practices: the painful qualities --
Far enemies: consider each of these 4 practices and their opposites -
- loving-kindness - anger, judgment, indifference, hatred, fear too, contraction, sense of separation
- compassion, - not caring,
- sympathetic joy - schadenfreude, envy
- equanimity - clinging, aversion, being swept up in anger or addiction, swept up in fear, extremism,
The Near enemies: less obvious...they can masquerade as positive...but they are actually quite different: today the near enemies
- lovingkindness, -> more clinging -- attachment - the heart can be open...but there is some clinging, having an agenda what looks like this concept but is quite different? - pity, control, envy
- compassion, --> pity -> implying a separation...an 'above' and a 'below'
- sympathetic joy - --> identification with...when my team wins, I feel good, when losing, downhearted feeling
- equanimity - --> indifference... not true 'balance' ...a sense of 'not caring'
The embodiment of near enemies; having a agenda.., eg. An identification with wanting things to be a certain way.. I love you if you love me in return. w/ real loving kindness there is no bargaining... no quid pro quo...
In the case of 'pity', a sense of distancing...of separation...no true connection with the other. There is a gap btw me and the other. we are adding a story or a second arrow to the experience. (video - Brene Brown on the near and far enemies). "I'm here, You're there." -- 'A separate suffering self'
Sympathetic joy...our true personal agenda is felt. Equanimity: our heart isn't really open.. Indifference (a separation from others..)
-->With a 'near enemy', we can notice 'A separate suffering self' exists. And we will experience suffering.
Hugh's story about having an agenda with his gift of his chocolate bar at a retreat. Whenever there is suffering, there is some kind of clinging. the problem of 'conditional giving'.. wanting something to 'unfold' in a specific way..this is the nature of his unconscious mind. ours, too. so...shining the light of consciousness on this suffering can bring an awakening.
Expectations are disappointments waiting to happen. Watch out for the near enemies of the Brahmaviharas!
