The 4th Brahma Vihara Equanimity, is best experienced in this ten day wisdom course by Sharon Salzberg. In taking this course I realized how much I didn’t know about equanimity, and how eager I was to learn more. The dictionary describes it as mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation. A… Continue reading The 4 Brahma Viharas- Equanimity
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The 4 Brahma Viharas- sympathetic Joy
Sympathetic Joy is the third Brahma Vihara, and it is to feel happy for others without judgement, bitterness or resentment. I remember saying to myself- I am happy for them but sad for me, as I do not have what they have. Not realizing that by doing this, I was ignoring all that life had… Continue reading The 4 Brahma Viharas- sympathetic Joy
The 4 Brahma Viharas-Compassion
Compassion is the second of the 4 Brahma viharas. The Oxford dictionary defines it is “sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.” Almost 20 years ago, I did not know what the word compassion meant. I asked a friend in discussion, and she said its like “kindness in action”. I remember not being a particularly compassionate… Continue reading The 4 Brahma Viharas-Compassion
The 4 Brahma Viharas- Loving Kindness
The four divine abodes, also known as the four immeasurable, or brahmaviharas in Sanskrit, are the emotions of the higher mind or higher mental states. They are: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. These four give us a framework to cultivate positive behaviors and minimize harmful ones. These qualities are considered divine because they represent love… Continue reading The 4 Brahma Viharas- Loving Kindness
“Not good enough”
Are you listening and believing that inner voice of self-hate? The same one that says you are “not enough, not good enough, not doing enough, must do more”, etc. How do you stop listening to this voice? what are your tools? What do you listen to instead? Once I discover I am in this self-destructive… Continue reading “Not good enough”
Reinforce a loving inner narrative
All of us have several inner narratives. Ones that tell us we are good and happy and doing a great job, and others that tell us we suck and that everything is crap. In my previous posts I have discussed how it helps to be mindful in which we subscribe to. When loved ones hellbent… Continue reading Reinforce a loving inner narrative
Silent quitting
We are all quite aware of the phenomenon of “silent quitting”. Its when a person has quit in their minds or moved away from the status quo, long before its visible or realized on the outside. This process is common in romantic relationships, friendships, workplaces, community groups etc. In any case its not easy for… Continue reading Silent quitting
The resistance of our inner children
Perhaps the default of living is to be present in this moment in gratitude. To be grateful that our life is safe, healthy, happy and peaceful. Most of us in the 1st world countries have this luxury and privledge. Then we have versions of our inner child- our inner children. These may be children who… Continue reading The resistance of our inner children
What do you subscribe to?
When we want to learn something new or know more about a topic, we subscribe to material that helps us learn about the subject and eventually influences our inner narrative. When picking the subscriptions, and there are many, we have to be mindful that we subscribe to material that helps us achieve our goal rather… Continue reading What do you subscribe to?
Kind in a kind place
I title this post “I can be kind in a kind place”. I realized how susceptible I am to my environment. If I am surrounded by kindness and am nurtured, accepted and engaged with, I can embody all these in return. Similarly, I can be tough and hard when in a a situation which feels… Continue reading Kind in a kind place