This morning I decided to sleep in, knowing full well that if I did so I would be losing my opportunity to meditate for more than a quarter of hour in anything resembling peace. Like it or not, this is the daily dilemma I face (and it is only exaggerated on the weekends): sleep more than five or six hours but sacrifice my meditation time or sacrifice sleep and meditate more. Most of the time I am happy to forego the extra sleep but there is some kind of weekend conditioning that makes it difficult to keep it consistent on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
So, knowing this, I decided to recite metta phrases to myself while I was in the half-waking state. Interestingly enough, niddukkho homi and sukhito homi actually had the effect of softening my mood, something for which I was tremendously grateful. You see, when I indulge in sleep on the weekends, I often feel a sense of resentment and negativity about the whole affair. I know it’s silly and shameful but it is something I have been allowing to happen for years and to which I need to put a stop. My sleepy metta recitation actually seemed to be a form of Right Effort in that I was doing it to prevent the arising of unwholesome states. I’ll be the first to admit that it wasn’t completely effective and I have had my moments of grumpiness but I feel that I’m inclining in the right direction.
May we all strive to cultivate the skillful and to prevent the arising of unskillful states!
Teacher here said, “..don.t resist against the resistance :)” then we put resistance on the account of the resistance…often we have a model of perfection in our mind, special in the west..the Asian people here don.t have it so strong…better to accept that we are very normal human beings, no divine; we have limitations,physical,psychological, financial, ….but your way to cope with Metta chants its great; not going out of the exercise but adjust to the need of the moment. I think : That is the meditation! Budusaranai from Sri Lanka
By: Ven. Dhammadipa on 04/14/2013
at 5:19 pm
Thank you Ayya!
By: Upāsaka on 04/14/2013
at 9:42 pm
I’ve been trying to find a translation for the metta phrases, but can’t find one. Can you give me a translation, and let me know where I can read more about them please?
Thank you! With metta
By: Y. on 04/15/2013
at 4:21 am