This excerpt is from Thich Nhat Hanh’s wonderful book “Teachings on Love.” In it, Thây gives three exercises that are a kind of metta meditation—aspiration for our own happiness and the happiness of others.

As is usual in metta, the first verse aspiration is for our own happiness. The second verse is for a friend, relative, someone we know. The third verse is typically aspiration for a group of people, or for all beings everywhere. To give your metta focus, you should substitute some person in our experience for “he” or “she.” For “they,” you may have in mind some group of people—say, the dear victims of the earthquake in Haiti, or survivors of some natural or social disaster. Make the metta specific, and make it your own!

As I have done with many of the mettas that I work with, I have put these three on 3×5 cards so I can use them as aids when “on the cushion” or during “metta breaks” throughout the day.

May practicing this teaching bring you great joy and happiness!

Nourishing Happiness

Thich Nhat Hanh

May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in myself every day.

May he/she know how to nourish the seeds of joy in him/herself every day.

May they know how to nourish the seeds of joy in themselves every day. May I be able to live fresh, solid, and free.

May he/she be able to live fresh, solid, and free.

May they be able to live fresh, solid, and free. May I be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.

May he/she be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.

May they be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.

These meditations help us water the seeds of joy and happiness in our store consciousness. Joy and happiness are the food of a Zen monk. Before eating, we say, “May all beings be nourished by the joy of meditation.”

What is the nature of this joy? How can we touch true joy every moment of our lives? How can we live in a way that brings a smile, the eyes of love, and happiness to everyone we encounter? Use your talent to find ways to bring happiness to yourself and others—the happiness that arises from meditation and not from the pursuit of fruitless pleasure. Meditative joy has the capacity to nourish our mindfulness, understanding, and love. Try to live in a way that encourages deep happiness in yourself and others. “I vow to bring joy to one person in the morning and to help relieve the suffering of one person in the afternoon.” Ask yourself, “Who can I make smile this morning?” This is the act of creating happiness.

♥♥♥

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