May All Beings Be At Ease

Gensho, one of the members of the Sangha decided to act upon an idea he has had for some time. He calls it:

"Lovingkindness to the MAX".

This is simply boarding the light rail ("MAX") within the mall / downtown area known as "Fareless Square," riding downtown, milling about, then riding back. All while subtly doing Lovingkindness, or Metta meditation practice for any or all that we might encounter on the trip. A very casual event, we would not need to appear to be meditating, or offer any identification about what we were up to. He likened it to a "zen flash mob" stealthily spreading Lovingkindness around the city. He put out an open invitation on the Sangha listserv to meet at 11am yesterday and be done by noon. I went.

It was fun to observe myself in preparation for this mission. I recited the Lovingkindness phrases to myself for myself:

May I be free from fear and anxiety.
May I be at ease.
May I be happy.

I was filling up my reservoir of lovingkindness so that there would be plenty to share.

I chanted the Metta Sutta on the way there:

This is what should be done
 By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
 Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech,
 Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied,
 Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,
 Not proud or demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
 That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
 May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
 Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
 The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
 Those born and to-be-born — 
May all beings be at ease!

Let none deceive another,
 Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
 Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
 Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
 Should one cherish all living beings;
Radiating kindness over the entire world:
 Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
 Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
 Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
 One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
 By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
 Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.

And once we got started, I enjoyed doing one of the loveliest practices I learned from the Lovingkindness Sesshin: To visualize a light of Lovingkindness emanating from the heart, getting larger, brighter, covering 360 degrees, "spreading upwards to the skies and downwards to the depths," and basically creating a field of Metta. I found this to be more available once I got rolling with the phrases for a while, and could actually start to feel an opening and an outflowing of energy from my chest area.

So there we are, on the MAX, with no other agenda than to be wishing all beings we encountered to be well. To be free. To be happy. And the need was so clear: The harried families with small children. The homeless folks. The older folks. The people in obvious pain. The people so tired they were falling asleep on the ride. The middle class tourists clutching their purses...

My mind wanted to make up stories about each person. My mind wanted to think it knew who was more in need. My mind wanted to pick and choose. Especially when I saw the people driving a Hummer. Right then I was able to recall the line from the Sutra about "omitting none".

We got to Pioneer Square and thought we might sit for 10 minutes when we heard the unmistakable shouting of a protest rally going on. Gensho: "They sound like they might need some lovingkindness." So we went up to the sidewalk, and saw that they were Burmese protesting for democracy. Just a few days prior, the Burmese representative for democracy was jailed. This is what prompted the rally.

Our Sangha has in the past two years been supporting two Burmese refugee families in their relocation to Portland. So it felt like a lovely synchronicity for us to sit for ten minutes and quietly offer them Lovingkindness, and just be present with open hearts in the middle of the city. Then we got on the train to return.

Sitting in a noisy city or on a moving train with an array of people moving all around was very different than the quiet incense-filled Zendo-sitting I am used to. It seems to be quite important to be able to generalize this skill into a whole different context.

As I sat repeating the phrases, I particularly appreciated the one about wishing all beings to be "at ease." The meaning of this was described in the Sesshin as being in a state of acceptance. Of being in accord with the world as it is, even if it is painful or difficult. Not struggling against things as they are, but being at ease with things as they are.

I actually can't imagine a more valuable gift, or anything better to wish for others. Given that the world is constantly changing, everything we cling to is destined to disappear, that old age, sickness, and death are inevitable, to be able to face these, to experience this life, even the painful parts, with willingness... this is my understanding of being at ease. Wishing myself and others to just feel and experience this life with willingness and openness, and participation -- I felt lightened by allowing myself this intention for a whole hour.



And here is a cool little chant with good descriptions of Metta. Enjoy!