“Would you listen to song birds and judge one less musical than another?”
Daishin (1943–)
We routinely judge the things we observe and experience, including ‘how good’ we are at meditating. When it comes to my overall life experience, I have remind myself again and again it’s neither good nor bad. My inner critic however, wants to make up +/- categories and trick me into believing that they’re proven facts. Through meditation I’m learning to welcome this automatic judging and to carefully discern its validity.
By concentrating on the breath cycle — particularly the out-breath as I explain below — my awareness occasionally transcends the judging mind and opens the gate into the vast space of being.
“Out beyond ideas of wrong-doing and right-doing there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk.”
Rumi (1207-1273)
May you welcome your heart’s deepest longing.
Thank you so much!
Thank you, Peter!
Thank you, Peter 🙂 Could you please talk more about the concept of Maitri or Metta?
Maryna,
I suggest this detailed article by meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg: http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/Articles/Mindfulness%20and%20loving-kindness_CB_Salzberg_2011.pdf
Instruction for a 15 minute metta practice: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/loving_kindness_meditation.