I undertake the training rule to view all members of the opposite sex except my partner as my children, parents and siblings and to cultivate a heart of concern and care for them.
As I walk the streets and ride the trains through the city I constantly find my darting this way and that looking for pleasing female forms. What is particularly irritating about this deeply conditioned habit is that I know it serves no purpose other than to destoy my peace of mind. This is especially true for me as a married man practicing a spiritual discipline: there is simply nothing to be gained from it. But, unless I literally gouge out my eyes, there’s no way to avoid seeing roughly fifty percent of NYC’s adult population everyday. Besides even if I had a way of shielding them from view that would do nothing to uproot the latent tendencies within.
May I learn, through the gate of compassion, to view all women as my sisters, mothers and daughters each one suffering and looking for respite.
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
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