Cattāri Brahmavihārā

I have been reading a book lately which discusses just how talent and skills are developed as part of my training as a postulant for the Order of Pragmatic Buddhism and have been struck by the rule that mistakes have in building or skills. The notion of bhavana as a skill to be developed I’d one that I have often encountered in the writings of Ven. Ajahn Thanissaro so this reading seems especially a propos as I suppose it should be as it is part of our required reading. Despite the fact that I am less than a third of the way through the book, the notion that the “bad” sits and difficult patches are the places where progress is made I’d both comforting and inspiring. I have even begun to wonder how I might challenge myself in the practice so that it develops rather than stagnates. It is truly a new way of being my practice and the path because where I live shied away from difficulty and cling to comfort I now know that if I wish to make real progress I need to push myself just a little more every day and dispense completely with complacency. Sukhita hontu!