46 Boundless Loving-Kindness

This simple approach to loving-kindness was taught by the Buddha himself. We will be extending the awareness out spatially in all directions -- without bounds -- but first requesting that we be free of animosity (the distant enemy of loving-kindness). Alan tells us about how Matthieu Ricard once said, in the context of compassion practice (but the statement is analogous to loving-kindness practice) that one way you know the practice is working, that it's been more than an intellectual exercise, is that if you find, as a result of your meditation, when your meditation comes to a close and you venture out, engaging with other sentient beings, you're actually poised to serve the needs of others, to alleviate someone's distress, if that's a possibility. The guided meditation begins at 13:34 in the recording. Alan then answers these questions from the group: 1. What is the acquired sign? 2. Why, when you're meditating so quietly, does the breath become so subtle? 3. I'm eating less to lose weight, but I feel I can't meditate as well with less food. Why? 4. What do you think about the Amitabha Pure Land, and how does it relate to Dzog Chen? 5. You said that one can achieve shamatha by single-pointed concentration on loving-kindness. What is the extra benefit of achieving shamatha in this way? and How do you know when you're ready to achieve shamatha? 6. You spoke yesterday about the effervesce of the space of awareness that one notices when examining the space of the mind. Do you get this in awareness of awareness also?