A short introduction to Mudita (appreciative Joy)and a short guided meditation.

Guided meditation appreciation one's own good qualities and good fortune, then those of a good friend

Exploring the Buddha's instructions to Mahanama to contemplate his own generosity and virtues, as a basis for practising mudita for oneself

Exploring the brahma vihara practice of mudita, the obstacles that get in the way of it, and suggestions for beginning to develop the quality of joy as a support for insight practice

In the Buddhist teachings, these four practices–loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity–are considered the highest qualities of heart and emotional wellbeing.

Guided meditation on how to practice appreciative joy/gratitude.

Reflections and INstructions: comparing mind, envy and Mudita.

An overview of the four Brahma Viharas, focusing on mudita/appreciative joy, and equanimity.

"Metta is betta than Dukkha, come on everybody Anicca." Mudita--the mind-deliverance of goodness joy as a path to liberation .

Part 1 of a series of talks about different aspects of Joy

Reflections on the four universal forms of empathy (brahmavihāra) and a brief guided mediation on muditā

Guided Mudita meditation spreading out our consciousness offered "appreciative joy" first to oneself, then to someone our relationship is easy with, then a "neutral" relationship, then to all beings everywhere.

Sympathetic Joy - wishing that others may appreciate their goodness

1. On good will as an object; 2. On moving away from the breath; barriers or obstacles 3. On being more “extroverted” 4. On mudita, energy and tension in the head 5. On cultivating blamelessness, in a busy life 6. On planning for the end of the retreat and post-retreat practice 7. On feeling not good enough, and self doubt. 8. On reacting very strongly to other people’s noise and movement 9. On recollections and daily life practice.

Developing the skill of recollection and the experience on the citta; where does the meaning sit?; the arising of citta to meaning; cultivating the immeasureables; the experience comes first; what is the quality of being touched by others’ suffering? Being willing to stay present with that is the movement of compassion; mudita; appreciating a feature or lucky moment for another, for oneself; appreciating the absence of physical pain; learning, sustaining and enriching the experience

coming out of self view; bringing forth energy; recalling the spiritual faculties; applying wise energy regardless of the system used; calm as a consequence of faith and confidence; two recollections; don’t let the citta be bound by historical or domestic considerations; willingness to do the work; feeding the citta; mindfulness of the body, the inevitable decay of the body; what is it that evades or finds truth uncomfortable; differing views of Samadhi; the” I-am” looking for support; learning to push away the hindrances through experience; noticing craving, ill will and resistance; using metta, compassion, mudita, upekkha to approach unification of the citta by removal of the 5 hindrances; now is the time to rise up to it; restlessness, boredom, doubt; know them as they are not as myself; this is not worthy of this citta; using the wisdom factor to find appropriate attention; who is that?; feel how it is; going beyond thought; discernment of the release of grasping; the shift moment and the growth of confidence in it; noticing the struggle to find something; what about the measurelessness/ the sign-less?

metta (good will/ loving kindness –the experience of the lovability of beings), karuna (compassion – sees the vulnerability of beings), mudita (sympathetic joy - experience of the enjoyment of one’s own and others’ good states)and upekkha (equaminity – the ability to be present with the ups and downs of phenomena); the citta has 2 inputs – feelings(from body or mental perception) and associations/ images/ impressions; skillful intention and the associated joy; volition and sustaining volition as a characteristic of the citta; to others as to myself; the citta adopts various clothes, one of which is “me”; the citta is abundant, rich, calm, exhaulted, measureless/ suffusing, free from hostility and ill will; the significance of the metaphors of language; the measureless empathy of the Buddha; “just like me”, we are all like this as a source of the volition; it’s not so much object oriented as cultivating states of mind and freeing the citta from any state of ill will; identifying the signs that lead to the bonding with / settling of the citta and unification of the mind; find one that works for you; the object one chooses to facilitate this is not important; pitfalls and sidetracks to be avoided in the cultivation – the story of other particular people and of the self, thinking of the past and the future ; finding satisfaction and comfort; the wisdom faculty sees it has been identified and sustained and not owned personally

Turning our hearts and minds to the celebration of happiness, joy, and well being of others. Empathetic joy is crucial to balance our hearts that have become more intimate with suffering.