Loving-kindness at Work
By Claire Stanley
Published in ASCENT magazine 10, summer 2001
In an Applied Linguistics class, fifteen adult graduate students stand up to form working groups and complete a task that I, their professor, have just assigned. They are notably avoiding a person I will call Peter who has distinguished himself as a particularly difficult person to work with. When I accepted Peter into my class at the beginning of the semester, knowing full well of his stormy relationships in groups, I began the intentional daily practice of loving-kindness (Metta) meditation. Each morning, I would begin my meditation by connecting to the heart centre and feeling a sense of warmth and caring. Then I would first visualize myself repeating the phrases, "May I be happy. May I be peaceful. May I be liberated." I would hold myself in this place of open acceptance and love, feeling the energy of Metta permeating body, mind, and spirit.
Then I would move to the category of Benefactor, my teacher, who has taught me this Metta meditation practice. I would visualize her in my heart and feel the same acceptance and love both going toward her and coming from her. "May you be happy, Sharon. May you be peaceful. May you be liberated." Then I would see several dear family members in the same way, before turning to my Applied Linguistics class. I would then visualize each of the students in the class, repeating the phrases, "May you be happy. May you be peaceful. May you be liberated." The end of the meditation would move out to embrace all beings, everywhere, in the ten directions, seen and unseen, known and unknown. "May all beings be happy. May all beings be peaceful. May all beings be liberated." At this final point, there would be a feeling of holding the whole world in my heart, holding it with acceptance, caring and compassion.
In Buddhist meditation practice, purifying the heart-mind and dedicating oneself to non-harming are aided through the Metta meditation practice in its various forms. Instruction during intensive retreats, as well as practice on a daily or weekly basis, can actually strengthen the muscle of caring and compassion for all beings. The Dalai Lama often says, "Kindness is my religion." Metta meditation is a way to incline the heart-mind in that direction.
Now, sitting in this class, feeling the tension rising in the immediate group that Peter is working with, as well as from other groups who can overhear his abusive attitude, I begin to reconnect with the energy of Metta. While I do not now say the phrases, as I had this morning, I do feel my heart opening very wide, encompassing all of the beings in that room with deep care and compassion, embracing those who are skillful and those who are not skillful. Then, quite to my surprise, the dynamic in Peter's group shifts. Minhe says, "You have proposed one way, Peter, but what about doing it this way?" and she explains a viable alternative. Boris drops his arms away from guarding his chest and Fusako's face comes alive again as she leans forward to second the alternative. And Peter leans back in his chair. "Okay," I head him say, "let's try it that way." They complete the task in a civil, if not perfectly harmonious way.
There are so many unhappy people and painful or violent situations in the world; it is easy to feel both helpless and fearful in the face of this reality. Metta, or loving-kindness, meditation offers a way to face the suffering and to hold it in an open, spacious, kind and loving awareness. This practice helps us heal our own hearts and gives us the strength to extend the capacity for loving-kindness into the world.
Published in ASCENT magazine 10, summer 2001
In an Applied Linguistics class, fifteen adult graduate students stand up to form working groups and complete a task that I, their professor, have just assigned. They are notably avoiding a person I will call Peter who has distinguished himself as a particularly difficult person to work with. When I accepted Peter into my class at the beginning of the semester, knowing full well of his stormy relationships in groups, I began the intentional daily practice of loving-kindness (Metta) meditation. Each morning, I would begin my meditation by connecting to the heart centre and feeling a sense of warmth and caring. Then I would first visualize myself repeating the phrases, "May I be happy. May I be peaceful. May I be liberated." I would hold myself in this place of open acceptance and love, feeling the energy of Metta permeating body, mind, and spirit.
Then I would move to the category of Benefactor, my teacher, who has taught me this Metta meditation practice. I would visualize her in my heart and feel the same acceptance and love both going toward her and coming from her. "May you be happy, Sharon. May you be peaceful. May you be liberated." Then I would see several dear family members in the same way, before turning to my Applied Linguistics class. I would then visualize each of the students in the class, repeating the phrases, "May you be happy. May you be peaceful. May you be liberated." The end of the meditation would move out to embrace all beings, everywhere, in the ten directions, seen and unseen, known and unknown. "May all beings be happy. May all beings be peaceful. May all beings be liberated." At this final point, there would be a feeling of holding the whole world in my heart, holding it with acceptance, caring and compassion.
In Buddhist meditation practice, purifying the heart-mind and dedicating oneself to non-harming are aided through the Metta meditation practice in its various forms. Instruction during intensive retreats, as well as practice on a daily or weekly basis, can actually strengthen the muscle of caring and compassion for all beings. The Dalai Lama often says, "Kindness is my religion." Metta meditation is a way to incline the heart-mind in that direction.
Now, sitting in this class, feeling the tension rising in the immediate group that Peter is working with, as well as from other groups who can overhear his abusive attitude, I begin to reconnect with the energy of Metta. While I do not now say the phrases, as I had this morning, I do feel my heart opening very wide, encompassing all of the beings in that room with deep care and compassion, embracing those who are skillful and those who are not skillful. Then, quite to my surprise, the dynamic in Peter's group shifts. Minhe says, "You have proposed one way, Peter, but what about doing it this way?" and she explains a viable alternative. Boris drops his arms away from guarding his chest and Fusako's face comes alive again as she leans forward to second the alternative. And Peter leans back in his chair. "Okay," I head him say, "let's try it that way." They complete the task in a civil, if not perfectly harmonious way.
There are so many unhappy people and painful or violent situations in the world; it is easy to feel both helpless and fearful in the face of this reality. Metta, or loving-kindness, meditation offers a way to face the suffering and to hold it in an open, spacious, kind and loving awareness. This practice helps us heal our own hearts and gives us the strength to extend the capacity for loving-kindness into the world.
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