Reflection Support: Altruistic Abidings

In the Asheyana path, reflection practice is located after practicing Calm Abiding and experiencing the Insubstantial Basis of Being for oneself. Reflection itself can take place at any time.

Here is a support for working with reflections that arise spontaneously from the Insubstantial Basis of Concepts. This support can also be practiced as a contemplation.

Called here "Altruistic Abidings," this support is inspired by the pre-Buddhist Four Immeasurables, also called the "Brahmavihārā" or "abodes of Brahma."

Altruistic Abidings serve two purposes:

1. As a protective space and corrective support for that aspect of mind associated with emotional arisings.

2. As a bridge to social well-being through setting the intention of extending harmlessness and goodwill to others.

There are four Altruistic Abidings. These are:

1. Altruistic Kindness : Here is the kind intention that a being or group of beings who arise as one's object of contemplation or reflection experience abundant harmlessness and goodwill, and, experiencing this happy state, bringing others to this happy state.
   
   

2. Sincere Mercifulness : Here is the sincere intention that a being or group of beings who arise as one's object of contemplation or reflection not experience harmfulness or lack of harmlessness and not experience ill-will or lack of goodwill, and, experiencing freedom from these sorrowful states, freeing others from these sorrowful states.
   
   

3. Sympathetic Joy : Here is the sympathetic intention of giving rise to genuine joy that a being or group of beings who arise as one's object of contemplation or reflection experience abundant harmlessness and goodwill, and, being joyfully supported in this happy state, joyfully supporting others experiencing a happy state.
   
   

4. Equanimous Abiding : Here is the equanimous intention that, even with one's altruistic intentions and actions, whether or not a being or group of beings who arise as one's object of contemplation or reflection experience and propagate such altruism is entirely up to them, the consequences of such an impulse or decision to be fully experienced by them.

"All beings are the heirs of their own actions; their happiness or unhappiness depends upon their actions, not upon my wishes for them."
- Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.57. Themes via Wisdom Wide and Deep x Catherine, p.174

Instructions

1. Take a stable seat or stance.

2. Connect with the body and feel the breath.

3. Bring to mind a being or group of beings that one feels some emotional connection with--whether affinity, aversion, or indifference.

4. Set an intention of one of the Altruistic Abidings described above. 

5. Abide with such an altruistic intention until a natural relaxation into the intention takes place.

6. With the same being or group of beings, move in order to the next Altruistic Abiding--From the fourth abiding cycle to the first abiding. Repeat step 5.

7. Complete at least one full cycle of the four Altruistic Abidings for the same being or group of beings.

8. Having completing one full cycle of the four Altruistic Abidings, rest at ease. Emotional enmeshment is relieved and one is reconnected with a sense of social well-being.

Variations

1. Alter the order of cycling through the Altruistic Abidings.

2. Experiment with setting more than one intention at once for the same being or group of beings.

3. Experiment with setting all four intentions at once for the same being or group of beings.

4. Select a being or group of beings from recent news to bring to mind during practice with this support.

5. Select a being or group of beings from the past to bring to mind during practice with this support.

6. Select a being or group of beings from the future to bring to mind during practice with this support.

7. If intentions of harmfulness or ill-will arise or are provoked in the moment towards a being or group of beings, immediately apply one's practice with this support.

8. Visualize one's intention extending limitlessly in a 360 degree sphere around oneself, applying to all beings regardless of distance from oneself.

May these words encourage the altruistic Asheyana practitioner to extend a boundless mind of kindness and compassion towards all beings without exception. May it be of benefit.