Posted by: Michael Rickicki | 02/12/2010

Upekkha

The fourth of the Brahma Viharas and indubitably the most difficult to formally practice for yours truly. I’ve often felt that practicing equanimity is like practicing patient forbearance–something which I can’t conceive of practicing in the (social) vacuüm of seated meditation. Still, this morning as I did the ten minute walk from the train to work and mulling over the upsetting incidents of this morning, I kept reciting “I am the owner of my kamma, heir to my kamma. Whatever I shall do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir” and it really began to make sense. The events of this morning are the ripening of past kamma and my reactions will be the seeds of future pleasure or pain. In addition, the difficult person with whom I had the conflict is them-self subject to their actions and owner of their actions. My ad hoc upekkha practice although shallow certainly helped to quell much of the aversion I was feeling. May I carry this lesson through the day.

Oh, and I found an interesting link on upekkha for those unsure of what it might mean here: http://www.mahindarama.com/e-library/upekkha.htm


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