The
Pali word metta is a multi-significant term meaning loving-kindness,
friendliness, goodwill, benevolence, fellowship, amity, concord,
inoffensiveness and non-violence. Metta is defined as the strong wish for the
welfare and happiness of others.*
Can you imagine if everyone in this world
could feel this for others around them? The world would become a beautiful
place for all with no wars or conflict.
Essentially
metta is an altruistic attitude of love and friendliness as distinguished from
mere amiability based on self-interest. Through metta one refuses to be
offensive and renounces bitterness, resentment and animosity of every kind,
developing instead a mind of friendliness, accommodativeness and benevolence
which seeks the well-being and happiness of others. *
However hard we try this is not one of the
easiest ways to live. There will unfortunately always be humans who awaken a
feeling of aversion in us. The difference is to try and change those negative
feelings and see them for who they are and where they come from. I can’t
believe that anyone is born to be hateful. Many things can happen in a person’s
live to make them act that way. All they need is someone to understand.
True
metta is devoid of self-interest. It evokes within a warm-hearted feeling of
fellowship, sympathy and love, which grows boundless with practice and
overcomes all social, religious, racial, political and economic barriers. Metta
is indeed a universal, unselfish and all-embracing love. *
As it says above, it grows with practice and
will eventually overcome all barriers. We have to make a conscious decision to
become this and make it part of our everyday lives.
*(Taken from The Philosophy and Practise of
Universal Love)
My wish for you today...
May you be free from hostility, free from
affliction, free from distress, may you live happily.
Blessed Be and Namaste!!!
Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIf people could just try to reach that goal of metta the world would be better, even if they never fully achieve it...trying would make a big difference in many people's lives!
I absolutely agree Susan, just trying is already a step in the right direction.
DeleteNamaste!
Hey Rea, lovely post! True altruism is such a difficult thing to come by or to give. Wouldn't life be wonderful if everyone aimed to achieve this? Thanks so much x
ReplyDeleteIt would be a perfect world Sonja, and all we can do is try every day.
DeleteNamaste!