Cattāri Brahmavihārā

It has been a hard morning but with some appropriate attention things aren’t looking quite so bad anymore (or perhaps I’m simply not looking at exclusively bad things anymore).  This mornings practice was basically the mala practice I’ve been using to for daily metta aspirations but with karuna as the focus.  My preconceptions of the practice were completely blown away as I realized that I didn’t need to use subjects that were blatantly suffering to be effective. If anything it was all the more relevant and poignant to realize that there still exists suffering even for those who outwardly appear to be in good stead and leading comfortable lives. It reminds me of something Thanissaro Bhikkhu said about meditation helping us to become more sensitive to stress (his preferred rendering of suffering).