Metta~Karuna~Mudita~Upeksa
The sublime attitudes or The Four Immeasurables (brahmavihāra) are a series of four virtues and Buddhist meditation practices designed to cultivate those virtues. The meditator is instructed to radiate out to all beings in all directions the mental states of:
1) loving-kindness or benevolence
2) compassion
3) sympathetic joy
4) equanimity.
Loving-kindness (Pāli: metta, Sanskrit: maitri) towards all: the hope that a person will be well; "the wish that all sentient beings, without any exception, be happy."
Compassion (Pāli and Sanskrit: karuṇā): the hope that a person's sufferings will diminish; "the wish for all sentient beings to be free from suffering."
Joy (Pāli and Sanskrit: mudita): joy in the accomplishments of a person — oneself or another; sympathetic joy; "the wholesome attitude of rejoicing in the happiness and virtues of all sentient beings."
Equanimity (Pāli: upekkhā, Sanskrit: upekṣā): learning to accept loss and gain, praise and blame, and success and failure, all with detachment, equally, for oneself and for others. Equanimity is "not to distinguish between friend, enemy or stranger, but regard every sentient being as equal. It is a clear-minded tranquil state of mind - not being overpowered by delusions, mental dullness or agitation."
I just arrived into NYC after leaving Buenos Aires a day and a half ago with a 12hour layover in Lima, Peru. It’s summer here in the city and I am feeling so blessed with all the goodness that surrounds me, the amazing people, food, activities that support me in my growth and journey.
My despidida (going away party) in Buenos Aires was full of a weekend of AcroYoga workshops, a fun contact dance Jam (sham), friends stopping by to play in the park, sit in meditation, give massages, receive massages, playing harmonium and m’bira, making our favorite meals, drinking tea, and giving and receiving gifts and appreciations. Also lots of smiles, laughter, and feelings of home and community.
Juan Pa and I had a late night sharing about what our time co-teaching and co-living together taught us since we had been living together and teaching between 2-4 classes a week. Plus workshops. We also spoke to the possibility co-teaching again in Buenos Aires for a longer period of time, focusing on our evolution as AcroYoga teachers (and human beings) and our inspired vision for the AY community in Buenos Aires as a starting point for the continued growth and ethics of the AcroYoga community throughout Latin America.
Although sad to leave my life in Buenos Aires, where I felt so welcomed and at home, with so many deep spiritual connections, with so many beings, I knew that I had a few dear friends waiting me along the way, and a loving family excited for me to be at “home.” Feeling I was sitting in the flow, since there was so much love along the way. I was in the right place.
I had a twelve hour layover in Lima, Peru and headed over to my friends house in Miraflores. Andrés’ apartment is on the 8th floor and overlooks the ocean and the sunset. We listened to the Gayatri Mantra as the sun was setting. Such a beautiful contrast from sitting in the airport waiting for a flight. Thank you thank you thank you!
तत् सवितुर्वरेण्यं ।
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि ।
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥
tát savitúr váreṇyaṃ
bhárgo devásya dhīmahi
dhíyo yó naḥ pracodáyāt
"We meditate on the adorable glory of the radiant sun;
may he inspire our intelligence."
Andres is an amazing Buddhist Teacher and Psychologist who works at the University of Lima. Many people come to him for spiritual life advice. I asked him advice for relationships, for acting out of love and compassion as much as possible. He said “treat everyone like your best friend. Meditate on the Four Immeasurables- Metta~Karuna~Mudita~Upeksa. That is a great place to start.”
A half an hour taxi to the airport and 7 hours of red-eye sleepy flight, 24hours after leaving Buenos Aires, I landed in NYC at JFK to the shock of summer after 2.5 months of South American winter. Quickly I felt a lot lighter and began to crave coconut water. The memories of quinoa and pumpkin soup from Argentina seemed ridiculous. Feeling held through the transition, from my love for the other beings that support and love me. I call up Ankur who has 4 hours free in NYC, coming from his life with his partner now living in Liberia, Africa, and heading home to Washington State for a brief visit.
This has been happening more and more lately with Ankur. We’re on separate sides of the planet and our paths will cross for a few hours. Then we find the closest park and play music and fly and laugh and stare into each other’s eyes as we speak and don’t speak about all that has happened in our time apart.
This time he meets me on the street in between the subway and our friend’s apartment. There’s always the moment where I’m not sure if I’ll recognize him if he’s walking towards me, like I’ll mistake someone else for him… of course when I see him, I realize my ridiculousness. He’s a skinny Indian man with white African pants and a wildly designed African shirt with an energy that radiates w-i-d-e-l-y. I feel him getting closer and see his white teeth and his white pants first.
What a gift to feel someone on the same team on this planet. Someone who I know so well, who knows me, who has traveled multiple realities with me, beside me, far away, who I love and who loves me. We know this and we are unafraid to be there.
He leads me to our friend Cholmes’ apartment and makes me a gourmet salad as I shower. Ankur in the past opened up a donation only vegetarian restaurant on an island (locals are mainly meat-eaters) in southern Brazil. Then he wrote a book about the experience with delicious recipes and life lessons. http://somethingconstructive.net/jamanta/index.php
He put amazingness into that salad, things I hadn’t tasted in forever, and with the Ankur personal touch, where everything always tastes the best. In the fridge he took the liberty to chill some mangos. MANGOS! Needless to say, Ankur and I have spent a lot of time not only playing in parks, but also playing everywhere and eating mangos. That’s how we first met. Mangos, stars, summer…
I can’t believe that I get to arrive to random cities on this planet, and there are some of my favorite beings, feeding my soul.
We play music together. I’m rockin out the harmonium, he’s on an Indian flute. We’ve gotten a lot better at playing music together. Now we can just sit down and share and it happens. A few years ago we were trying to learn to sing and lead our friends in heart song around the woodstove. Both our voices cracking, and both yearning yearning to just be doing it. The miracle of playing music every day and our commitment to it…
We sing:
May the long time sun shine upon you.
All love surround you.
And the pure love with in you.
Guide your way home.
He gifts me a sarong from Liberia. I had just given Juan Pa in Argentina my only sarong that I had since Bali. Replaced so quickly.
He tells me a story where a friend was visiting and hadn’t caught on yet to having her own water bottle, and when she almost bought her 3rd bottle of water during their visit, he just gave her his bottle. I had an extra bottle that I needed for hiking during the Peru program but wasn’t necessary for my life ~now~. Gifted!
Universe, just because you give us exactly what we need, you think we’re going to love you even more?....
Well…
You’re right.
One love,
Sam
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