Cattāri Brahmavihārā

Despite my best efforts I seem to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Formal meditation was a definite struggle and it was all I could do to keep by bottom moored to the floor let alone anchor my attention to the breath. In addition, I have been dogged by a persistent discomfort in my gut–the likely result of too much hot sauce on my cous cous and beans last night. The effect of the body on an untrained mind is truly spectacular and something which I all too easily forget.

Anyway, as the morning continued my irritation only built to the point at which I found myself haphazardly crossing 14th Street weaving in and out of buses and cars without a thought for my safety. And as a bus pulled out and headed straight toward me I realized what a state I was in and that I needed to snap out of it. So, I took heed and am not taking the warning lightly. Imagine what would have happened had I died in a state of agitation. Better still, my own frothing rage is what would have put me in the position in the first place. As it stands, there is still the discontent and irritation bubbling away in the background but I am purposefully putting the mind elsewhere until I can work with it or it passes away of its own accord.