I’ve been struck recently by reading for a second time in a Buddhist text that forbearance is the highest good we can practice.
That’s quite a big call
So I’ve been reflecting on what it is and how I can try to cultivate it. We had a bit of discussion around it after last Thursday night’s meditation and some ideas that were thrown in were – turning the other cheek and putting up with things or behaviour but the one that resonated most truly and what I arrived at through the discussion came from something Vi shared when she brought us to the etymology of the word. Forbear has two parts – for meaning before and bear (to carry) and so there came this idea of catching our response (thanks for that one Eugene); that’s the before bit and then supporting or carrying a person.
So this really works for me; the whole notion of having the mindfulness to see and hold our reactions and responses to people and events and then choose a really kind and helpful response. A response that supports and carries the best interests of both self and other. In this way forbearance, or at least this understanding of it, captures both of our meditation practices: mindfulness and metta.
Hope you can make meditation this week
Thursday 7 – 8.30 pm Mindfulness of Breathing
Sunday 8 – 8.50 am Metta and Mindfulness of Breathing
And please do consider coming on our June weekend retreat June 19 – 21
And …. If you have any meditation or Buddhist Books you’d like to contribute to our new library (thanks Lisa) please bring them along. They’ll be lovingly covered, catalogued and put into our new glass cabinet
Much metta
Padmadakini and Dharmalata
