Cattāri Brahmavihārā

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!