Along the road to awakening,
We have four companions that join us.
They wait for us within our hearts and minds to aid us in our path toward enlightenment.
Yet,
As with all things,
They manifest their opposite.
They manifest their difficulties and our enemies.
Through meditation,
We help to cultivate these four companions and cast out their enemies.
We abide within the presence of our companions whenever we can open our hearts to clarity,
Our minds to wisdom,
A dedication to practice,
And a trust within ourselves and the dharma.
We abide in the company of loving-kindness,
Compassion,
Joy,
And equanimity.
All of these dwell within us but are shrouded and veiled by the darkness of our own detriments.
By pointing them out and focusing toward them,
We may bring about the growth and cultivation of a true measure of each of these four profound qualities.
These four companions create security in our practice.
If they are cultivated to some extent,
We will,
As the Buddha said,
Not quarrel with the world.
This is part three of a four-part meditation series on these four companions.
Let's begin by getting into the meditation position,
Whether it is on a cushion,
In the cross-legged position,
Standing,
Or sitting in a chair.
Once we have gotten into our position,
Let's take a minute to find balance,
Find stability,
And bring our awareness forward.
For the time being,
Listen to these words.
Let us now work with our dear companion of joy and sympathetic joy.
Who does not want to be joyous?
Who does not want to feel the true essence of sympathetic joy that extends to all those around you?
The obvious enemy of joy is that of envy.
The more subtle enemy of it is affectation,
Hypocrisy,
And self-degradation.
I would also argue that hate is another great enemy of any joy that we can find.
While one cannot always have joyful thoughts and joyful occasions until we realize our enlightenment,
We can work towards a joyful existence through contemplation and sympathetic joy gained through joy with others.
Making and experiencing true moments of joy are great for good karma-making too.
If you sit and search within,
There are innumerable things to find joy in.
Our practice of meditation is a great place one can find joy,
Calm,
And a place to pleasantly abide in the moment.
Buddha said,
There is only one thing I teach,
And that is suffering and its end.
That is a massive promise that I think we can make as well to ourselves.
The generation and cultivation of joy within and joy with others,
Felt from an honest and pure place of practice and determination,
Can spur us so quickly down the path toward the end of suffering.
We must,
However,
Keep in mind the trappings of the ego and try not to feel selfish joy,
Selfish envy,
And must try to keep a good eye out for any unconscious malevolence that rises up in us.
If we do this and keep joy in our heart and mind,
We will surely soon know this dear companion through and through.
Let us sit now with our focus towards joy,
Whatever that means for you,
Just for the next couple minutes.
A bell will ring when the time is up,
And after the bell there will be a short little accord that I hope you listen to.
Thank you for sitting with me on this third of a four-part meditation on the four companions of the four companions.
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Com slash silas day.
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Thank you and have a wonderful day.
