Let's practice Equanimity! :)

This was my first time when I was getting introduced to analytical meditation on Equanimity during one of the course at Tushita.

I began with seeing 'me' 'myself', I was directly looking into my eyes and recognizing all the positive and negative qualities of mine one by one, and wished,

"May I be happy, May I be free from sufferings.."

And then, I started thinking about a 'stranger', to whom I had seen on the street or on the TV channel. I did not know anything about that person. Very gently and with full awareness, I put myself into his/her place and started seeing the things from his perspective, and checked what that person really wants? and deep down I found that, 

"He wants to be happy and wants to be free from sufferings.."

Afterwards, I brought an image of a person (in my memory) whom I love, who is very close to me. I then started thinking about all the good and positive qualities of that person. I put myself also on his place and checked what that person really wants? and I found that,

"He wants to be happy and wants to be free from sufferings.."

And then, I thought about a person with whom I had a negative experiences and I had a good amount of aversion for that person. I recalled all his negative qualities, which I felt that person has. And one more time, I put myself into his place and went into his shoe and start looking the things from his lenses. And asked, what that person really wants? Here again, I found that, this person also, 

"Wants to be happy and wants to be free from sufferings."

While meditating upon this, I just felt that if everybody wants to be happy and wants to be free from their sufferings, that means everybody has the same pure nature within. It is MY mind that projects the thing and labels people as good or bad or so on.. Isn't it?

So, when we realize that it doesn't matter what that person is showing externally, but everybody has the same goal of happiness inside, and everybody is suffering then we are able to develop and generate compassion and love for everyone. Then we stop labelling or judging people for their particular behavior. Everybody has a story, we just need to be a little Kind and Patient with each other!

After the formal sitting, when I was contemplating and digging more, I found that if somebody is hurting me through their speech, anger or any kind of action, that means that person himself is hurt and troubled from inside, that is why he's hurting me too. I felt that these people needs more Love, more Compassion because they are damaged from inside. 

But yes, in the process,

be compassionate for yourself too!

be gentle with yourself too!

and keep sending love to yourself too! :)