Mila, I'm your father.

Mila Sophia, Luca's new little sister arrived 2 days ago. Metta chants flow  with ease...

May little Mila be free from all dukkha!

Metta Chant Aham avero homi May I be free from enmity and danger  abyapajjho homi May I be free from mental suffering anigha homi May I be free from physical suffering sukhi - attanam pariharami May I take care of myself happily Mama matapitu May my parents acariya ca natimitta ca teachers, family and friends sabrahma - carino ca fellow Dhamma farers avera hontu be free from enmity and danger abyapajjha hontu be free from mental suffering anigha hontu be free from physical suffering sukhi - attanam pariharantu may they take care of themselves happily Imasmim arame sabbe yogino May all yogis close by and far away avera hontu be free from enmity and danger abyapajjha hontu be free from mental suffering anigha hontu be free from physical suffering sukhi - attanam pariharantu May they take care of themselves happily Imasmim arame sabbe bhikkhu May our guardian devas Ismasmim avase in this dwelling arakkha devata May the guardian devas avera hontu be free from enmity and danger abyapajjha hontu be free from mental suffering anigha hontu be free from physical suffering sukhi - attanam pariharantu may they take care of themselves happily Sabbe satta May all beings sabbe pana all breathing things sabbe bhutta all creatures sabbe puggala all individuals (all beings) sabbe attabhava - pariyapanna all personalities (all beings with mind and body) sabbe itthoyo may all females sabbe purisa all males sabbe ariya all noble ones  sabbe anariya all worldlings  sabbe deva all devas (deities) sabbe manussa all humans sabbe vinipatika all those in the four woeful planes avera hontu be free from enmity and dangers abyapajjha hontu be free from mental suffering anigha hontu be free from physical suffering sukhi - attanam pariharantu may they take care of themselves happily Dukkha muccantu May all being be free from suffering Yattha-laddha-sampattito mavigacchantu May whatever they have gained not be lost Kammassaka All beings are owners of their own Kamma Purathimaya disaya in the eastern direction pacchimaya disaya in the western direction uttara disaya in the northern direction dakkhinaya disaya in the southern direction purathimaya anudisaya in the southeast direction pacchimaya anudisaya in the northwest direction uttara anudisaya in the northeast direction dakkhinaya anudisaya in the southwest direction hetthimaya disaya in the direction below uparimaya disaya in the direction above Sabbe satta May all beings sabbe pana all breathing things sabbe bhutta all creatures sabbe puggala all individuals (all beings) sabbe attabhava - pariyapanna all personalities (all beings with mind and body) sabbe itthoyo may all females sabbe purisa all males sabbe ariya all noble ones  sabbe anariya (worldlings) sabbe deva all devas (deities) sabbe manussa all humans sabbe vinipatika all those in the 4 woeful planes avera hontu be free from enmity and dangers abyapajjha hontu be free from mental suffering anigha hontu be free from physical suffering sukhi - attanam pariharantu may they take care of themselves happily Dukkha muccantu May all beings be free from suffering Yattha-laddha-sampattito mavigacchantu May whatever they have gained not be lost Kammassaka All beings are owners of their own kamma Uddham yava bhavagga ca As far as the highest plane of existence adho yava aviccito to as far down as the lowest plane samanta cakkavalesu in the entire universe ye satta pathavicara whatever beings that move on earth abyapajjha nivera ca may they are free of mental suffering and enmity nidukkha ca nupaddava and from physical suffering and danger Uddham yava bhavagga ca As far as the highest plane of existence adho yava aviccito to as far down as the lowest plane samanta cakkavalesu in the entire universe ye satta udakecara whatever beings that move on water abyapajjha nivera ca may they are free of mental suffering and enmity nidukkha ca nupaddava and from physical suffering and danger Uddham yava bhavagga ca As far as the highest plane of existence adho yava aviccito to as far down as the lowest plane samanta cakkavalesu in the entire universe ye satta akasecara whatever beings that move in air abyapajjha nivera ca may they are free of mental suffering and enmity nidukkha ca nupaddava and from physical suffering and danger.

Taking a break and continued practice

Sometimes our practice can seem too intense, or we simply just don't have the time and sometimes it's even worth taking a break. I've been on a bit of a break for the past five months or so with little to no sitting at all. I started a new job so my priority shifted but I'm slowly remembering that a continued practice, regardless of past baseline shifts, is beneficial for all involved.

A long day of teaching classes and preparation for the next next days' classes can leave me exhausted. But even with the exhaustion taking over, there is room for practice. In any position, in particular the lying down one, can result in beneficial practice. Though the dangers of falling asleep are there, the space to progress is given a little fertiliser.

With a new addition to the family due next month, little Mila,  the practicing of loving kindness (metta) has also again come to the forefront of practice. May her arrival into this world be painless and easy. May Maca also have the strength to withstand the discomfort of giving birth. And May I get more sleep. ;-)

Luca is two years old now and more demanding than ever of his parents' time. Peppa Pig helps as I drift deep into equanimity territory. Can you spot the two cessation moments?

Let the dust settle

Hurricane Luca

Often we sit to practice and the day's events and our conditioned bundles of habitual mental proliferations are the initial theme of the sit. Eventually, if patience,  resolve and good practice take hold, all that crazy samsaric papañca begins to settle down. Hurricane Luca is now 19 months old. His frantic physical movements mirror the movements of my mind as I sit to face the inner turmoil..  Eventually, the Hurricane loses momentum and equanimity wins out. The physical and mental phenomena begin to mirror an equanimous viewpoint. Calm abiding takes root. Patience, resolve and good practice do their thing.