Loving Kindness

It's Ash Wednesday and oh how I loved receiving the ashy cross on my forehead as a school girl at Loreto Convent Queenswood Catholic School. Ritual helps us make meaning and feel deeply into the magical mystery of being here now. I miss my bestie from those childhood years Rokela and think of her every day. Her birthday approaches as mine has just passed. To celebrate my continuation day we met in a Circle of Loving Kindness at The Center down the road from my home in Noordhoek. 

We honoured beloved Thich Nhat Hanh by walking mindfully, breathing mindfully, sitting beautifully and enjoying our sitting, listening deeply, eating mindfully and beginning anew through writing a peace letter mindfully. I used the gift he gave me of The Path of Emancipation and that dear friend Shikara gave me about 20 years ago of his Anger.

 

The gifts come through grace and I am so deeply grateful. During hard lockdown when I was utterly desperate...about two years ago already! I asked for help and beloved Thây came to the rescue. I listened to his dharma talks...a lot. And they were a lifeline and a balm. A bell of mindfulness calling me back to the present moment. To peace. 

During my first meditation of this year at Kagyu Samye Dzong, my beloved teacher appeared clear as a bell, just shortly after his passing. And when I walked into the temple's little shop after this beautiful visitation, his teachings were waiting on top of the free pile of second hand books. An early birthday gift and guidance for our healing circle of loving kindness.

Under the trees we practiced coming home to ourselves by slowing down, calming down, kissing the Earth with our feet and remembering that we are peace at every step. We imprinted our peace on the Earth. Mary Oliver's When I am Among the Trees speaks to me of our interbeing with the natural world of which we are a part...as Thây would say, we inter-are. 

Together we gently let go of struggling and allowed our sangha to support us. We discussed the Four Immeasurable Minds : Metta (loving-kindness/friendship/love), Karuna (compassion), Mudita (joy) & Upeksha (equanimity) & the Four Foundations of Being: Mindful breathing which brings us back to our bodies, reconciling with our feelings, looking deeply (vipassana) into our mental formations and our perceptions.

We also rested deeply, because that's where healing lies. 

Using mindful breathing return to the island within you. Then move your loving awareness through the body breathing in and smiling with gratitude to each and every part of you.

Notice how the habit energy of running has been passed down to you by our families and societies, but that you can in fact STOP. 

You can be happy right here, right now. 

We made a sacred vow to walk mindfully -- we chose a place in our homes where we can practice this daily.

We practiced a loving kindness meditation starting as always with holding ourselves tenderly, as you would a newborn...for indeed we are newborn every moment. Eternally becoming. 

We then blessed every member of our precious circle with metta and expanded our loving attention out across this little planet that holds us so generously and encompassed our beloved brothers and sisters in the Ukraine. 

I'm so grateful for this opportunity, it allowed me to reenter my home a more loving and present mother, wife and human being. Without needing to say or do anything, everything felt better. 

So let's all stop. 

Breathe. 

And love like a Pisces (thank you Moontime Ilona) 

https://gratefulness.org/resource/it-looks-like-the-sky-is-coming-apart-and-together-at-the-same-time/

 

Here is our playlist , shared with love