January Synopsis

      Constance gave a great overview of Metta and a very enlightening discussion ensued.
      It was noted that it is often most difficult for some to offer loving kindness to themselves due to the self-judgment that was instilled in us as we grew up. And may explain why some people find the whole idea of a loving-kindness meditation difficult to embrace.
      Unconditional self-love, it was offered, is the desired result for any spiritual path. And it’s necessary, however achieved, for anyone hoping to reach the most integrated level of love for others.
      The difficulty of understanding this practice likely arises out of the plethora or definitions or connotations for the term love. We seemed to find agreement that the meaning of the term as it is used here, is best understood to be compassion or the open-ness of heart. And that this practice can lead to a spiritual transformation, when the practice is embraced and the incremental changes that accompany it, are practiced in one’s daily affairs with diligence.
      It was pointed out that open-heartedness and compassion are based on our willingness to confront the fear and discomfort we feel as we become more vulnerable to those feeling. The compassion gained is commensurate with the degree to which we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, because the natural reaction to our fears/discomfort is to close ourselves off to these experiences. Vulnerability accompanies becoming open. Compassion flows out of the open-ness to our aversion to emotional discomfort, and compassion then acts to encourage further connection to others suffering.
      It was suggested that if one word had to be chosen to represent the manifestation of this practice on the human being, it would be open-ness or love. Perhaps that would explain why it is referred to as a Loving-Kindness Meditation.
      The next meeting will be on February 20th and Nadine will soon inform us of the next topic for discussion.