At the start of February, I was inconsistently sitting for up to an hour at a time, still needing to gladden the mind constantly to stave off agitation. I was continuing to act with discipline in a somewhat consistent way, for the first time since childhood (when I was into martial arts and fantasized about being a Samurai). I also started to inquire about the nature of my seemingly untamable libido, from the viewpoint of Buddhadasa (Richard’s lineage). Richard introduced me to his teachings on Mudita. It is commonly translated as “sympathetic joy” and branded as a counter to jealousy. Richard’s version contrasted with this, and involved developing a large cache of Piti within oneself, and then spreading it to others via smiles, conversation, and body language (his translation is “shared joy”). Likewise, he explained his approach to bodywork. Whenever sitting, be as still as possible, and “watch the stillness” of the body. Whenever w...
At the intersection of deep meditation, growing up, and mood disorder.