The next session of my yoga class is focusing on the The Brahmaviharas, the four sublime attitudes.  I have very little experience with and knowledge of these Buddhist virtues, so I am excited to broaden my horizons.

Week One we focused on Maitri — friendliness toward the joyful.  As with a lot of our classes, we focused on going inward, to share friendliness and acceptance with our selves.  I needed that this week.  The postures were a challenge, not because they were physically difficult, but because I had to remember to connect my mind to my body.  To think deeper about body placement and intention.  It was kind of like a backwards step, but I know that sometimes going back gives you the ability to move forward.

At the end of class we shared a Buddhist meditation called a Metta Meditation, something else I was not familiar with.  To ourselves, we repeated the following statements.

May I be happy.

May I be peaceful.

May I be safe from harm.

May I be free from suffering.

May I have the ease and joy of well-being.

After several rounds, we were then encouraged to think of someone in our lives who could benefit from these words, and then, again, to ourselves, we repeated the following:

May you be happy.

May you be peaceful.

May you be safe from harm.

May you be free from suffering.

May you have the ease and joy of well-being.

Powerful stuff, folks!  I spent the day with these words rolling around in my head.  Simple statements that can bring mighty strength.  Quite the learning day!