Meditation of Loving-kindness

Rev. Shoryu Akiya used to practice Mettā bhāvanā called meditation of loving kindness.  I hadn't been aware of the importance of this short verse but last Sunday at Kapaa Jodo Mission, it caught my attention and then started to think about this verse as follows;

Let myself be always happy and kind.

Let myself be free from disease and mental worries.

Let myself be always successful in righteous and reasonable endeavors.

Let the wisdom of light shine upon myself.

Let myself be always happy and kind. (3 times)

Let my intimates be always happy and kind.

Let my intimates be free from disease and mental worries.

Let my intimates be always successful in righteous and reasonable endeavors.

Let the wisdom of light shine upon my intimates.

Let my intimates be always happy and kind. (3 times)

Let all living beings be always happy and kind.

Let all living beings be free from disease and mental worries.

Let all living beings be always successful in righteous and reasonable endeavors.

Let the wisdom of light shine upon all living beings.

Let all living beings be always happy and kind. (3 times)

Let all living beings irritable to me be always happy and kind.

Let all living beings irritable to me be free from disease and mental worries.

Let all living beings irritable to me be always successful in righteous and reasonable endeavors.

Let the wisdom of light shine upon all living beings irritable to me.

Let all living beings irritable to me be always happy and kind. (3 times)

Let all living beings not happy with me be always happy and kind.

Let all living beings not happy with me be free from disease and mental worries.

Let all living beings not happy with me be always successful in righteous and reasonable endeavors.

Let the wisdom of light shine upon all living beings not happy with me.

Let all living beings not happy with me be always happy and kind. (3 times)

Let all living beings be always happy and kind.

Let all living beings be always happy and kind.

Let all living beings be always happy and kind.

(http://gotami.j-theravada.net/metta_ura_fix.jpg)

After repeating this again and again, I found myself very peaceful and calm with deeper understanding of this verse.  So I'd like to share my thoughts on this verse on this coming Sunday.  It can be very interesting!  Hope to see you here.