2012.03.08 07:00 - Karuna-metta meditation

The Guardian for this meeting was Storm Nordwind. The comments are by Storm Nordwind. The two title words "karuna" and "metta" are from the Pali language. Karuna means "compassion". Metta means "loving kindness". One inspires the other.

Lucinda's avatar.

Storm Nordwind: Good morning Cinda :)
Lucinda Lavender: HI Storm:)
Lucinda Lavender: just drinking my morning coffee
Storm Nordwind smiles
Lucinda Lavender: getting ready for the day.
Storm Nordwind: I was just noticing how amazing your avatar is. It is like meeting you again in real life :)
Lucinda Lavender: :) yes I have worked toward that
Lucinda Lavender: thanks!
Storm Nordwind is very impressed
Lucinda Lavender: smilinging big
Lucinda Lavender: inging
Storm Nordwind: Perhaps I shoud give my own avatar another shot... but I've not changed it in 5 years and there was little available then to work with.
Lucinda Lavender: it is nice to be able to be happy with what one is too...
Storm Nordwind: For which read (in my case) laziness ;-)
Storm Nordwind chuckles
Lucinda Lavender: hee hee
Lucinda Lavender: no...hard to believe
Lucinda Lavender: all you do...
Storm Nordwind: Well I'd prefer to do things for others first... and there's always a long list!

Flares and aurorae.

Lucinda Lavender: My newspaper says "Beautiful Storm" on the front
Storm Nordwind: Oh! :)
Lucinda Lavender: for real
Storm Nordwind: Let me guess - solar flare?
Lucinda Lavender: sun activity is the thing there
Lucinda Lavender: yes
Storm Nordwind: aurora
Lucinda Lavender: have never seen one have you?
Storm Nordwind: yes I have
Storm Nordwind: When i first arrived in Scotland
Lucinda Lavender: what color was it?
Storm Nordwind: hmm... green as I recall, but others saw red too
Lucinda Lavender: ah cool!
Lucinda Lavender: what part of Scotland
Storm Nordwind: But i was a lot further north than where you are
Lucinda Lavender: yes...
Storm Nordwind: Just south of Glasgow
Lucinda Lavender: I have been looking at the maps of that part of the world lately...part of researching the Williamson side of my family
Lucinda Lavender: ah
Alfred Kelberry: hi people
Lucinda Lavender: from Kircaldy Fife north of Edinburgh
Storm Nordwind: Hi Boxy. Just in time for a restart it seems
Lucinda Lavender: Hi Boxy:)
Alfred Kelberry: shall we escape to kira cafe?
Storm Nordwind: Yes
Alfred Kelberry: ok

It was only 7:00am. Since there is no auto-logging in the Kira Café lounge, the rest of the session is taken from Storm's personal chat log.

Alfred is prodding for more on my book, but learns surprisingly little more at the moment.

Alfred Kelberry: so, what book are you writing, storm? :)
Storm Nordwind: One with words.
Storm Nordwind: And pages.
Alfred Kelberry: no pictures?
Lucinda Lavender: :)))
Storm Nordwind: That depends
Alfred Kelberry: graphs?
Storm Nordwind: Graphs i doubt
Alfred Kelberry: :)
Lucinda Lavender: :)))
Alfred Kelberry: how many pages?
Storm Nordwind: As many are necessary
Alfred Kelberry: :)
Alfred Kelberry: eta in the fall?
Storm Nordwind: Yes. I hope so.

International Women's Day.

Eliza Madrigal: Hi :) region restart?
Storm Nordwind: Good morning Eliza!
Alfred Kelberry: eliza :)
Alfred Kelberry: yes
Eliza Madrigal: Nice to see you all
Alfred Kelberry: i agree
Lucinda Lavender: Hi Eliza:)
Eliza Madrigal: Intl women's day and full moon, so naturally wanted to attend Storm's session
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Lucinda Lavender: Feeling better:)
Lucinda Lavender: ?
Lucinda Lavender: meant to ask...
Storm Nordwind: It is? Wow - totally missed that
Alfred Kelberry: women's day indeed
Eliza Madrigal: oh thank you Luci, yes doing much better
Storm Nordwind treats every day as women's day
Eliza Madrigal: Yes :)
Eliza Madrigal: I IMed Sun to wish her happy Day of Goddesses
Storm Nordwind: :)

More on solar flares.

Storm Nordwind: Just looking at my Geomagnetic Index meter... showing the solar flare activity... seems good for auroras... except for the daylight!
Eliza Madrigal: oooh
Lucinda Lavender: ah...not usually seen during daylight hours?
Lucinda Lavender: how about at sunset?
Alfred Kelberry: not good for trans-arctic flights
Storm Nordwind: http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/synoptic/sel/satenv.gif
Storm Nordwind: Basically lots of red in the bar chart = good for auroras
Storm Nordwind: So how should we mark this special day?
Lucinda Lavender: I have a friend who gets the feeling people are more irritable during solar flares...
Free Radar HUD v1.1 by Crystal Gadgets
Lucinda Lavender: so I will try to look beyond the annoyances I guess:)
Storm Nordwind: A little compassion and loving kindness meditation perhaps!
Yakuzza Lethecus: hey everyone
Yakuzza Lethecus: thx eliza
Storm Nordwind: Hi Yaku, Riddle
Eliza Madrigal: YES
Riddle Sideways: Hi, no cannot get to pavillion
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Riddle and Yaku
boxy's nose: Yaku appreciates boxy's nose
Lucinda Lavender: Hi Yaku Riddle...yes
Storm Nordwind: It'll be back soon
Riddle Sideways: ah, waiting for the world to reform
Eliza Madrigal: :)

Clear land in the Café garden.

Storm Nordwind: So nice not to have the particle tower to the west of here anymore. :)
Eliza Madrigal: that's what seems different!
Lucinda Lavender: what was that?
Riddle Sideways: what happened to it?
Storm Nordwind: There was a huge particle generator there. Been there 6 years
Riddle Sideways: the walled off plot?
Storm Nordwind: Bit by bit I bought all the land around it. Took me 5 years. Then contacted the owner - who is almost never in-world - and mentioned that it went into my land by 11m on all sides. He took it down and cleared the site, but wouldn't sell it to me!
Storm Nordwind: I took down the tree screens as a result
Storm Nordwind: There's a Buddha statue next to it that I put there, but otherwise it's clear to the Kuan Yin Terraces now.
Riddle Sideways: oh, they were your screens
Eliza Madrigal: one can breathe....
Storm Nordwind: You didn't want to see what was behind the screens!
Eliza Madrigal: how wonderful

Eliza's question is answered, eventually, by practical example.

Eliza Madrigal: What form might PaB metta practice take do you think, Storm?
Lucinda Lavender: and what is metta practice?
Storm Nordwind: I'm working on that Eliza...
Storm Nordwind: :)
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Eliza Madrigal: Metta is lovingkindness meditation Luci
Lucinda Lavender: nice
Storm Nordwind: Everyone has the opportunity for doing there own, but I'm putting in place one idea
Lucinda Lavender: would love to learn a new thing
Storm Nordwind: Shall I describe it
Eliza Madrigal: it is also very inclusive, by its nature
Storm Nordwind: ?
Eliza Madrigal: Would love to hear
Storm Nordwind: OK...

Plans for regular meditation sessions just before PaB sessions.

Storm Nordwind: In the new temple on my guardian plot, I am installing something...
Riddle Sideways: /listens
Storm Nordwind: It's only partly there at the moment...
Storm Nordwind: possibly finished by the end of today...
Storm Nordwind: Basically it's this...
Storm Nordwind: Every six hours, starting 15 minutes before PaB sessions, there will be a led practice...
Storm Nordwind: It will happen automatically but will be sensitive to people there...
Storm Nordwind: And it will be a karuna-metta practice, not just metta
Storm Nordwind: ...
Eliza Madrigal: mmm
Storm Nordwind: Basically, you can come and sit on one of the cushions...
Storm Nordwind: there will be words to lead people through the practice...
Storm Nordwind: one or two bell sounds...
Lucinda Lavender: wonderful!!
Storm Nordwind: and a little unobtrusive lighting effects...
Eliza Madrigal: lovely, so happy to hear this
Storm Nordwind: And it will always be there as a facility for us all.
Eliza Madrigal: :)) "now clear to Kuan Yin"
Storm Nordwind: Right next to the pavilion, so people can some 15 bminutes eraly and then walk over
Storm Nordwind: :)
Eliza Madrigal: ah, signals?
Storm Nordwind: Signals?
Lucinda Lavender: kind of like I was today...a good way to start the day
Eliza Madrigal: lighting effects
Storm Nordwind: The sign on the temple with change, according to when the next meditation is or whether on is in progress...
Eliza Madrigal: ah, nods
Storm Nordwind: and the there will be something with each cushion during the 5 parts where there is a "sending-out"
Lucinda Lavender: cool
Storm Nordwind: But that's what I'll do today... plus the script for the words

Sending out loving kindness in metta meditation is a frequent familiar practice for some people. Adding in the inspiration of compassion - karuna - each time is much less frequent but is very important. For one thing karuna acts as the root of metta and other virtues. For another, continual compassion for all is a recipe for lasting happiness for oneself!

Storm Nordwind: It's karuna-metta rather than metta. I wasn't clear on that at first, but Lokeshvara/Kuan Yin was very clear about this
Eliza Madrigal: Might you walk us through the basic form here a bit?
Storm Nordwind: I can yes :)
Lucinda Lavender: I would love that
Eliza Madrigal: thank you
Riddle Sideways: ty
Storm Nordwind: I will use part of the script... always good so I don't miss any out! ;)

Storm Nordwind: So first of all...
Storm Nordwind: Please begin by making yourself comfortable, taking a few deep breaths and relaxing your body a little each time you exhale.
Storm Nordwind: Become conscious of your breath, observing it in a state of relaxed awareness.
Eliza Madrigal: ::::breathes::::
Storm Nordwind: If thoughts arise, welcome them and include them, but without identifying with them, let them pass gently.
Storm Nordwind: And if, during the meditation, feelings arise that seem opposite to your intentions or wishes, be patient with yourself.

Storm Nordwind: While we relax I will tp Raffi
Eliza Madrigal: will give her a note when she gets here
Aphrodite Macbain: would you give me a note too please.
Eliza Madrigal: you didn't get one just now? okay...
Storm Nordwind: Welcome Aph and Raffi. We are beginning a karuna-metta meditation.
Storm Nordwind: I'll just repeat the start

Karuna-metta meditation.

Storm Nordwind: Please begin by making yourself comfortable, taking a few deep breaths and relaxing your body a little each time you exhale.
Storm Nordwind: Become conscious of your breath, observing it in a state of relaxed awareness.
Storm Nordwind: If thoughts arise, welcome them and include them, but without identifying with them, let them pass gently.
Storm Nordwind: And if, during the meditation, feelings arise that seem opposite to your intentions or wishes, be patient with yourself.
Storm Nordwind pauses for a moment

Storm Nordwind: First bring to mind and visualize a loved one, perhaps a close family member or a dear friend - someone that you know well.
Storm Nordwind: Contemplate a time in their lives when they were suffering.
Storm Nordwind: Out of compassion, develop a strong heartfelt wish that they be free from that suffering.
Storm Nordwind: Feel this compassion and the loving kindness strongly, and say within yourself:
“May you be free from suffering. May you experience joy and ease.”

Storm Nordwind: Now bring your attention to yourself.
Storm Nordwind: Think about a time in your life when you were suffering.
Storm Nordwind: Out of compassion for yourself, develop a strong heartfelt aspiration that you be free from that suffering.
Storm Nordwind: Feel this compassion and the loving kindness strongly, and say within yourself:
“May I be free from suffering. May I experience joy and ease.”

Storm Nordwind: Now visualize someone you know only casually, or that you recognize but about whom you know only a little - like a neighbor or colleague – and about whom you feel neutral, with no positive or negative feelings.
Storm Nordwind: Visualize a time in their lives when they may have been suffering.
Storm Nordwind: Out of compassion, develop a strong heartfelt wish that they be free from that suffering.
Storm Nordwind: Feel this compassion and the loving kindness strongly, and say within yourself:
“May you be free from suffering. May you experience joy and ease.”

Storm Nordwind: Now visualize a difficult person, someone about whom you are more likely to have had negative feelings toward than positive.
Storm Nordwind: If you are fairly new to this practice, choose someone less challenging at first, and you can widen your choice during a later meditation.
Storm Nordwind: You don’t need to believe that they are necessarily a good person; you will wish them happiness no matter what they are like.
Storm Nordwind: Compassion and loving kindness can be like sunlight for everyone, rather than a reward handed out only to some for good behavior!
Aphrodite Macbain: smiles
Storm Nordwind: So visualize a time in their lives when they may have been suffering.
Storm Nordwind: Out of compassion, and as strongly as you can, develop a heartfelt wish that they be free from that suffering.
Storm Nordwind: Feel this compassion and the loving kindness as strongly as you can, and say within yourself:
“May you be free from suffering. May you experience joy and ease.”

Storm Nordwind: Finally, extend your compassion and loving kindness to all, starting with those closest to you physically, in your town or city, then to the people of your country, and then to the whole world. Include all beings.

Storm Nordwind: And when you are ready, slowly breathe yourself back into your own physical awareness, and awareness of your surroundings, noticing how you feel.

Storm Nordwind: Thank you friends :)
Lucinda Lavender: I wish to dedicate this meditation to my brother who is in great pain with broken ribs and a cough and much dependence on chemicals...thanks Storm for putting this out here today. Much gratitude
Eliza Madrigal: (((Luci's brother))))
Eliza Madrigal: Thank you Storm
Riddle Sideways: ty
Aphrodite Macbain remembers our sessions at Vashon
Aphrodite Macbain: thanks stormy
Riddle Sideways: funny(sort of) to put the 'closest physucally' as those avs sitting in this room
Riddle Sideways: was automatic, but
Riddle Sideways: funny

Kindness not withheld.

Storm Nordwind: It is an honor to do this with you. It is very simple. But very powerful and effective. Especially when done regularly... which is why I'm installing it in my guardian plot temple.
Eliza Madrigal: Riddle, yes... noticed this too
Storm Nordwind smiles with Riddle
Aphrodite Macbain: Yes, I feel quite close to you all too
Yakuzza Lethecus: thx very much storm
Eliza Madrigal: nearly anything we talk about, is in this practice, in a way
Storm Nordwind: Yes
Aphrodite Macbain: caring for each other
Storm Nordwind: Metta meditation usually sends out loving kindness. The Karuna part is generating compassion first, for compassion is the key - the root of the tree.
Eliza Madrigal: nods, kindness not withheld

Accessible and commonsensical.

Aphrodite Macbain: Did you move from the Pavilion to here?
Storm Nordwind: Yes. Sim reboot
Aphrodite Macbain: ah
Aphrodite Macbain: wondered
Storm Nordwind: Too lazy to return ;-)
Eliza Madrigal: through the window it doesn't seem possible
Aphrodite Macbain: I was there and nothing happened
Riddle Sideways: pavillion Poof
Storm Nordwind: You arrived after it was all done Aph
Aphrodite Macbain: sigh
Aphrodite Macbain: I do that a lot
Eliza Madrigal: even before I had any sort of traditional practice, metta seemed so accessible... common-sensical
Storm Nordwind: [6:57] Second Life: Your region will restart in 5 minutes and 0 seconds for maintenance.
boxy's nose: Eliza clicks boxy's nose
Riddle Sideways: then we will poof
Storm Nordwind: Yes Eliza :)
Riddle Sideways: is metta related to meta
Storm Nordwind: I don't think so. Will check...
Eliza Madrigal: yet visually it seems to be
Eliza Madrigal: microcosm/macrocosm... perspective
Storm Nordwind: One is Pali; the other Greek

Riddle's great announcement.

Riddle Sideways: ok, folks
Riddle Sideways: BTW - great announcement to Storm
Riddle Sideways: RL garbage and recycling event has moved to Mondays
Riddle Sideways: off of Thursdays
Storm Nordwind: Oh! ;-)
Storm Nordwind: Life is full of wonders :)
Aphrodite Macbain: ?
Riddle Sideways: knew you want to know :D
Eliza Madrigal: huh? Oh, why you can make it today Riddle?
Eliza Madrigal tries to connect dots, hah
Riddle Sideways: yep, can be here now :)
Eliza Madrigal: :)) Nice
Riddle Sideways: well buy buy all
Eliza Madrigal: good to see you Riddle :)
Eliza Madrigal: One day will ask about the complexity of recycling day @@
Storm Nordwind waves to Riddle
Storm Nordwind: There are some things that are better left undiscovered Eliza ;-)
Eliza Madrigal: hahaha
Eliza Madrigal: happy to see Riddle's obstacle move

A good thing.

Yakuzza Lethecus: i really liked the metta practice storm, it brought me a bit out of my regular rythm, which i consider a good thing :)
Eliza Madrigal smiles
Storm Nordwind: I'm so pleased to hear that Yaku :)
Storm Nordwind: Is it something you have not done before?
Yakuzza Lethecus: yes
Eliza Madrigal: I suppose one way to explore this in sessions too might be one stage at 3 bells ... bit more casual yet accessible
Eliza Madrigal: not sure
Storm Nordwind: Perhaps... it will be there 4 times a day, probably from tomorrow onwards
Storm Nordwind: But at my temple
Raffila Millgrove: Storm.. could you repeat this... again. about.. where we are to go.. and so forth? this is 15 min before the regular meet time.. at the circle?
Storm Nordwind: I am installing it at my guardian plot next to the pavilion
Storm Nordwind: So it will be there for those that want
Storm Nordwind: I'll send out a landmark
Storm Nordwind: But it is 80m to the NW of the pavilion
Aphrodite Macbain: :-)
Storm Nordwind: And we'll see how it works out. Can always tweak it. :)
Storm Nordwind: This all came from a video that Bleu brought to our attention
Aphrodite Macbain: which video?
Eliza Madrigal: this was just right ... and appreciate too the timeless aspect... of 'a time when'... any time when
Storm Nordwind: I'll get the URL
Storm Nordwind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f-T7lgdLPI
Aphrodite Macbain: thanks
Yakuzza Lethecus: be well everyone
Eliza Madrigal: Be well Yaku
Storm Nordwind: For which you need to skip the first 8:40
Storm Nordwind: (unless you like jazz)
Eliza Madrigal: time for me to go as well, Thanks Storm, everyone
Eliza Madrigal: and thanks for that tip Storm, it helped when I got there, haha
Storm Nordwind: Lovely to see you. Be well!
Aphrodite Macbain: Oh that one. It's lovely
Eliza Madrigal: Namaste'
Aphrodite Macbain: I should go too. Thanks for this Storm.
Aphrodite Macbain: Bye
Aphrodite Macbain: Bye!
Storm Nordwind: Great to see you both. Bye!
Raffila Millgrove: thank you Storm. good day to everyone~ enjoy