Cattāri Brahmavihārā

The holidays always present challenges to maintaining a formal practice for those of us whose families aren’t Buddhist. My own extended family is an even mix of Catholics and Muslims so from Ramadan through New Year‘s it can be quite a challenge to achieve any kind of continuity. As a result I have taken to snatching whatever moments I can to practice in my in-laws’ basements, storage rooms and closets. Now I am sure that there are those who would recommend that I simply dispense with formal meditation altogether until things return to normal but I would like to assure them that what I’m doing barely constitutes meditation unless you include mindfulness of the screaming child slapping the back of your head in the steps of anapanasati. Anyway, perhaps the best reason I have for trying to get in some sittings in the midst of these holiday storms is to reaffirm, if only to myself, my commitment to the Dhamma and the inclination and direction to which I wish to orient my life. Mettaya.

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