Hello,
I'm Daniel.
I want to lead a meditation today that is the four immeasurables for an enemy.
The four immeasurables for an enemy.
We might also call it like the four immeasurables for someone we don't like because like enemy seems like a really,
Really large,
Really large thing,
You know,
Enemy,
Like I don't have any enemies,
But I do have people I don't like we all do.
And so we're taking these verses,
And we're trying to bring feelings of compassion,
Kindness,
Sympathetic joy toward someone we don't like,
Which is counterintuitive.
It's against what we normally want to do.
But it's a it's a good thing for us to do that being said,
Though,
I want to suggest at the outset here,
If you've been horrifically traumatized by someone who did something to you intentionally,
Well,
I think that's a,
It would take a lot to be at a level where we could bring compassion and kindness to that person.
So what I want to encourage you to do is,
Instead of thinking of if you've been victimized in a horrible way,
Instead of thinking of your abuser,
I would suggest thinking of someone you don't like some something that's less severe than that,
If you've been horrifically abused,
Not not to say we don't want to learn how to bring compassion to the worst people because open hearted practice is about learning to do that.
But I think that's a much higher level than most people are at now or ever get to really.
So I what I want to advocate for is just practicing for someone you don't like.
So this is the four immeasurables meditation for the enemy.
And I'm going to recite these verses and I want you to just mentally recite them yourself and see how you feel.
That's how we do the practice.
So I do want you to bring to mind someone that you don't like.
Someone that you don't like,
It can be someone who you find annoying in your life or someone who gets in your way somehow.
Or it can be a public figure you really don't like that can apply as well.
It doesn't have to be someone you know,
In your real life.
And in fact,
It doesn't even have to be a real person necessarily.
My son once once when I led this practice,
He said he wanted to do it for Darth Vader.
So even even fictional characters,
It's fine.
It's just got to be someone you don't like.
So try to bring someone to mind that you have a dislike for a distaste for,
Or maybe even a mild hatred,
Someone you really think is a problem for you.
And sit up as straight as you can.
And gently close your eyes.
Find a position for your hands to be in.
I like to recommend either the relaxation pose,
Which is just hands resting on your knees,
Or the what I call the Buddha bowl,
Which is one hand on top of the other thumbs gently touching so it makes a kind of circle resting in your lap.
It's important to have a plan for what your hands are doing.
That's really the point and find a way to arrange your legs where they won't fall asleep,
Where your legs and feet won't fall asleep.
And I'm going to ring my bell.
Now.
Now you're going to think about this person you don't like.
And I'm going to recite these phrases and I want you to mentally recite them.
I'm going to say each of the phrases out loud twice.
And you're going to mentally say them as though you're talking to this person you don't like.
Okay,
So here we go.
And then at the end,
We'll ring the bell again.
But first,
I want you to begin by taking three deep,
Heavy breaths.
Equanimity.
May you be free from preference and prejudice.
May you be free from preference and prejudice.
May you know things just as they are.
May you know things just as they are.
May you experience the world knowing you just as you are.
May you experience the world knowing you just as you are.
May you see into whatever arises.
May you see into whatever arises.
Loving kindness.
May you be happy,
Well,
And at peace.
May you be happy,
Well,
And at peace.
May you open to things just as they are.
May you open to things just as they are.
May you experience the world opening to you just as you are.
May you experience the world opening to you just as you are.
May you welcome whatever arises.
May you welcome whatever arises.
Compassion.
May you be free of suffering,
Harm,
And disturbance.
May you be free of suffering,
Harm,
And disturbance.
May you accept things just as they are.
May you accept things just as they are.
May you experience the world accepting you just as you are.
May you experience the world accepting you just as you are.
May you serve whatever arises.
May you serve whatever arises.
Joy.
May you enjoy the activities of life itself.
May you enjoy the activities of life itself.
May you enjoy things just as they are.
May you enjoy things just as they are.
May you experience the world taking joy in all that you do.
May you experience the world taking joy in all that you do.
May you know what to do,
Whatever arises.
May you know what to do,
Whatever arises.
And we'll just sit here for a little bit longer,
Just in silence,
Thinking these warm thoughts for our enemy.
May you be free of suffering,
Harm,
And disturbance.
May you experience the world taking joy in all that you do.
