Light A Candle
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What I am about this week are the Metta prayers and chants from the Buddhist cannon. Our daughter Bridget and her fiance Rudy were married last Saturday at St. Malachy's church in Manhattan and I offered the prayer of Loving-Kindness to them as they said their vows. The service was a sacred offering from the two of them to live their lives together under the umbrella of God's Love and ever flowing Graces that showered them on this very special day. It was a joy to be present for the union of two wonderful people who in the beginning of their life together entered into marriage with full intention to spend all of their lives together in a partnership that is solidly and tangibly committed to their journey. They are Blessed, and Lee, I, and all who were present are also wonderfully Blessed to have been witness to their Rite of Passage into the next stage of their lives.
God is Good, God is Gracious, God is Generous, and has given Metta in abundance to Bridget and Rudy. Their pathway is firm, and they are taking the right steps to insure happiness that is infused with Serenity and Joy.
Thanks be to God !
Mr. Rudy Medina, now husband of Bridget
Bridget and her Maid Of Honor, Denisa, walking from the hotel to the church.
She is now Mrs. Bridget Medina
In Buddhism there is a wonderful prayer known as "Metta" which simply means loving-kindness. This kindness, this generosity is first directed toward ones self, and then offered to others is several stages. I am only going to post a few versions of this prayer here this week along with a few links to help perhaps move this blessing into your hearts with a hope that you will give it to others once peace
"falls upon you."
At the end of this post there are two links, one to a talk by Tara Brach on Metta, and the other is a meditation on Loving-Kindness.
The Prayer Of Metta - (from the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City California)
May you be held in the heart of lovingkindness
May you be free from inner and outer harm
May you be well
May you have ease of well-being
May your life be of service to all beings
May you come to know great and natural peace
May you awaken and be free
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Imee Ooi is a Burmese Buddhist nun who is currently the largest selling singer of chants and teachings of the Buddha in all of Southeast Asia. The first of the two links here has Imee Ooi singing the Metta chant in a lovely version that became widespread all around the world. The second link is the translation of what she is singing for you to print out and use as you see fit - feel free to change the words to fit your active meditations.
The Chant Of Metta sung by Imee Ooi
http://www.box.com/s/35etms0fbkura84avpdy
Translation -
http://www.box.com/s/8judnqvpxb7kefz0ba6n
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The stairs to Serenity and Peace are not complicated,
take the gentle path to arrive at where we began
The Metta Prayer
(The Buddha gave a beautiful teaching on the development of lovingkindness called the Metta Sutta (also known as the Karaniya Metta Sutta). I’ve adapted the words of the sutta to formulate them as an aspiration that can be repeated in a prayer-like way.)
In order that I may be skilled in discerning what is good, in order that I may understand the path to peace,
Let me be able, upright, and straightforward, of good speech, gentle, and free from pride;
Let me be contented, easily satisfied, having few duties, living simply, of controlled senses, prudent, without pride and without attachment to nation, race, or other groups.
Let me not do the slightest thing for which the wise might rebuke me. Instead let me think:
“May all beings be well and safe, may they be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be, whether moving or standing still, without exception, whether large, great, middling, or small, whether tiny or substantial,
Whether seen or unseen, whether living near or far,
Born or unborn; may all beings be happy.
Let none deceive or despise another anywhere. Let none wish harm to another, in anger or in hate.”
Just as a mother would guard her child, her only child, with her own life, even so let me cultivate a boundless mind for all beings in the world.
Let me cultivate a boundless love for all beings in the world, above, below, and across, unhindered, without ill will or enmity.
Standing, walking, seated, or lying down, free from torpor, let me as far as possible fix my attention on this recollection. This, they say, is the divine life right here.
Translated and adapted by Bodhipaksa from the Pali Metta Sutta.
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Jesus said, "This is my Peace, my Peace I give to you"
- Let the peace of Jesus, the Serenity of the Spirit be upon you -
The Peace of God's Spirit is the light at the tunnels end
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A Metta Meditation
From Peter Carlson, Orlando Insight
May I be safe
May I be happy
May I be healthy
May I be content
May I love myself completely
And with great kindness
Just as I am now
No matter what happens
May you be safe
May you be happy
May you be healthy
May you be content
May you love yourself completely
And with great kindness
Just as you are now
No matter what happens
May we be safe
May we be happy
May we be healthy
May we be content
May we love ourselves completely
And with great kindness
Just as we are now
No matter what happens
May all beings be safe
May all beings be happy
May all beings be healthy
May all beings be content
May all beings love themselves completely
And with great kindness
Just as they are now
No matter what happens
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Talk on Metta by Tara Brach:
Loving-Kindness meditation:
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