"Look
deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
~Albert
Einstein
Metta means loving-kindness.
Metta is friendliness
Metta is goodwill. Metta is the strong, genuine wish for the welfare and happiness of others.
Metta renounces resentment and animosity.
Metta must be practiced.
Metta grows boundless with practice.
Metta overcomes all conditioned barriers of egoic identity.
Metta only gives and never wants anything in return.
Metta in word, thought and deed brings concord, peace and mutual understanding.
Metta is the fundamental tenet of all major religions
Metta is the basis for all benevolent activities.
Metta succeeds when it loves
Metta fails when it degenerates into conditional affection.
Greed, lust and sensuality are its “near enemies” because they are similar in tendencies. Ill-will, anger and hatred are metta's easily distinguished “remote enemies.”
As metta cleanses and strengthens the mind, it awakens the dormant potentials, ultimately resulting in spiritual transmutation of the personality. Transformed by metta, the mind is no longer haunted by greed, hatred, lust, jealousy and other pollutants which are the real source of misfortune.
TIBETAN BUDDHIST METTA MEDITATION:
Sit comfortably. Gradually deepen your breath.
Feel your connection to the earth (human nature) and to the sky (the divine) by lifting the crown of your head and lengthening your spine while relaxing your arms, shoulders and legs.
Close your eyes and visualize the face a special teacher, mentor or friend. Do not concern yourself with whom to visualize. It could be anyone from Jesus to your kindergarten teacher. Hold their image in your mind as clearly as possible and repeat silently,
"May you be safe... May you be healthy... May you be happy... May you live with ease," pausing after each phrase.
Next, visualize yourself and repeat the same phrases. Third, visualize someone you are relatively indifferent towards, perhaps someone you just met or a casual acquaintaince. Again, repeat the phrases. Notice what emotions and thoughts come up as you visualize each person and mentally repeat the mantras. Finally, visualize the face of an "enemy," someone you dislike or have issues with. Repeat the phrases, "May you be safe... healthy... happy... at ease."
Then, imagine a warm, glowing light which represents your metta, or lovingkindness filling your body. See the light expand to fill the room, the house, the city, state and country. See it expand across the oceans until it is surrounding the entire Earth and seeping out across the universe. After you are done with this, release all visual images and sit quietly for a few moments, just relaxing and feeling the compassion that resides deep within your heart.
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Karma is action.
Karma is the connection
between actions and their resulting forces.
Karma is mind-bogglingly
complex.
Karma cannot be simply understood.
Karma is not in
pop culture.
Karma is acting with compassion.
Karma is helping fellow beings -- humans,
animals, plants, the planet. Karma is volunteerism
Karma is reaching
out.
Karma is making every
interaction an act of service.
Smile.
Listen attentively.
Listen
more than you talk.
Speak and act mindfully.
It's good karma.
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GOOD KARMA SPOTLIGHT
The Miracle Foundation.
Empowering
orphans in India to reach their full potential, one child at a time.
Batsiranai.
Fair trade handicraft project of mothers of disabled children in
Zimbabwe.
Hug It Forward.
Bottle school building, recycling and environmental education and development in rural Guatemalan communities.
Long Way Home.
Alternative construction community center and school in San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala.
Kiva.
Micro-loans to the working poor, all over the world.
Safe Passage.
Dedicated to educating children of families who work in the
Guatemala City dump.
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