Question

When doing the D/D Compassion/Lovingkindness meditation in full on a topic, for example loneliness, do we make a general Compassion/Lovingkindness wish or one specific to loneliness as we go through different people at different ages?

Answer

We encourage using the same Compassion/Lovingkindness wish always. Whether the problem is loneliness, whether the problem is feeling guilty, whatever it is, keep the wish the same. The benefit of keeping the same wish is that we don't get confused. "What are we going to wish for this person, what are we going to wish for that person?" Another benefit is that it helps us to become concentrated more easily because we're using the same words. So there are benefits and you're encouraged to use the same wish.

Now the only change to this is if you want to use what we call 'short form' and 'long form'. Later in the retreat we're going to talk more about the Compassion/Lovingkindness wish and when it can be helpful at times to have a short form, because it's a shorter phrase that you can use more spontaneously throughout the day. When you do a formal meditation session you've plenty of time to use a decent standard form, whether it's mine or similar, or Rosemary's or whether it's one you make yourself, that's fine. But there're other times when you might want a short form. For example, you're on a bus and you're looking out the window and you're just seeing people going by. You see somebody who is in a field, you see somebody in a car, and you give them just a little wish, maybe 6 or 7 words, but it has a similar meaning. That's what we mean by a short form. But otherwise in a formal meditation session, keep the same wish; it's helpful that way.

Our apologies if there are any errors in the above text. If anything seems to be wrong or confusing in any way, please feel free to contact the teachers for further clarification.