MAITRI – LOVING-KINDNESS
“But loving-kindness—maitri—toward ourselves doesn’t mean getting rid of anything. Maitri means that we can still be crazy after all these years. We can still be angry after all these years. We can still be timid or jealous or full of feelings of unworthiness. The point is not to try to change ourselves. Meditation practice isn’t about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It’s about befriending who we are already. The ground of practice is you or me or whoever we are right now, just as we are. That’s the ground, that’s what we study, that’s what we come to know with tremendous curiosity and interest.” Pema Chödrön
Here is my favorite version of the Metta Suttra prayer as taught by Thich Nhat Hanh:
May I be peaceful and light in my body and in my mind.
May I be safe and free from accidents.
May I be free from anger, unwholesome states of mind, fear and worries.
May I know how to look at myself with the eyes of
understanding and compassion.
May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself.
May I learn how to nourish myself with joy each day.
May I be able to live fresh, solid and free.
May I not fall into the state of indifference or be caught in
the extremes of attachment or aversion.
May you be peaceful and light in your body and in your mind.
May you be safe and free from accidents.
May you be free from anger, unwholesome states of mind, fear and worries.
May you know how to look at yourself with the eyes of understanding and
compassion.
May you be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in
yourself.
May you learn how to nourish yourself with joy each day.
May you be able to live fresh, solid and free.
May you not fall into the state of indifference or be caught in
the extremes of attachment or aversion.
(And I may help. Just as good as I can.)
May all beings be peaceful and light in their body and in their mind.
May all beings be safe and free from accidents.
May all beings be free from anger, unwholesome states of mind, fear
and worries.
May all beings know how to look at themselves with the eyes of
understanding & compassion.
May all beings be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and
happiness in themselves.
May all beings learn how to nourish themselves with joy each day.
May all beings be able to live fresh, solid and free.
May all beings not fall into the state of indifference or be caught in
the extremes of attachment or aversion.
Hozan Alan Senauke said, “The work of peace may not bear fruit until long in the future. In fact, we cannot know the many outcomes—favorable or unfavorable—unfolding from even a simple action. We can only be sure of our intention to connect rather than to divide, to do what promises to be wholesome.”
Dear Angels, as I sat in meditation with you tonight, I was reminded of the Metta Sutta, a discourse on goodwill preached by the Buddha. It states that one should be upright, gentle, modest, and straightforward, and commends the practice of goodwill towards all beings, modelled on the attitude of a mother to her only son. I thought about peace, and as I listened to the words of the Metta Sutta spoken by the beloved Thich Nhat Hanh, I went into such blissful peace that there are no words that can describe it. I understand that monks recite this daily as well as many people throughout the world. Though I have heard it many times in my life, this time was different. This time I was ready to receive the true message of loving-kindness. May all who read this message be filled with this same peace.
Dear Ones, if beings on your planet would allow themselves to open their minds and fully listen to the message of loving-kindness and allow it to permeate their hearts, you would indeed have the beginnings of peace on earth. In looking for solutions to the conflicts and warring, we would encourage you to broaden your thinking. Peace will not happen because someone writes a law or demands that it be so. It will come from the inside, Dear Ones. This is the reason we always lead you back to your heart and the insights that bring you to a state of compassion for yourself, for others and for the world. In touching that place deep inside at the very core of who you are, you understand your own suffering and then begin to understand the suffering of others. You do not want to listen to your own suffering as it is uncomfortable to do so, yet you call out for peace. Peace will not be reached until you let go of the suffering, and through the heart-healing that happens as a result. This mindfulness then extends to others and your desire for everyone to feel the same peace inside that you have come to know will then lead to compassion and thus to peace.
Dear Angels, thank you. I love you. Namaste, y’all.
Today, I promise to be peaceful and light in body and mind.
Teri Angel is a Happiness Coach, energy healer, best-selling author, spiritual teacher and mentor, and motivational speaker. Teri’s movement “Peas For Peace” involves strengthening our awareness of the oneness of all, unifying mankind through compassion, peace, love and joy. She was named "She Who Blesses the Sacred Land" during the Peace On Earth Tour and embraces that title with loving grace. Teri is also the co-founder of the global movement and non-profit organization Ten Million For World Peace.
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