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Make Me an Instrument, Metta Blast ~ 2

May 11, 2007

That's my friend, Tim up there. He's on an island just off the coast of Washington State visiting his stepmother, who is gravely ill with two forms of lymphoma. He sent me this image of him practicing Metta on the beach, and the idea popped into my mind that sitting down to practice lovingkindness actually turns us into Instruments of Healing.

St. Francis didn't ask God to give him peace, he asked to become an instrument of peace. Focusing solely on oneself, it turns out, doesn't work nearly as well as turning yourself into a channel which will bring what you're looking for into the world. If you want to be healed, ask to be an agent of healing to the people around you. Don't take my word for it, test it out for yourself. This is the intention I set for myself just a couple of weeks ago, and look at what's happening up here on my blog. Please don't let the mention of a catholic saint freak you out. Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, the Higher Mind of Creativity ~ they're basically all the same thing. Letting go of our knee-jerk reactions opens us up to gaining more insight and wisdom.

When your soul touches another with a healing intention, the healing power has to flow through you first. Please pay attention to the last sentence I wrote. If healing flows through you and you are the instrument, you "become health" during the process. If I use a needle to innoculate you against a disease, a residue is left inside of the needle after the shot is transmitted. I think it's the same with being a catalyst of healing on this planet. Focusing your energies on healing the pain around you can't help but leave a healing residue within you. This isn't a secret, deep inside of us we all know this and have access to it. It's just a matter of waking up to it. I'm just trying to snap my fingers up here to get you out of your trance!

This isn't to say that being present with one's wounds and seeing them for what they are isn't a good thing. Seeing the reality of one's discomfort, whether it be spiritual or physical, is a first step requirement toward healing. But ~ and this is a Big Butt ~ if you find yourself narcissistically gazing into the pool of your inner wounds in an addictive cycle of victimhood, you might become stuck there. Remember Narcissus? Staring endlessly into your own reflection will ultimately paralyze you, so step out of your wounds. Becoming a force of altruistic power for other people is a wonderful way to sieze any power you might have handed over to your pain. As Caroline Myss has said hundreds of times, "Take back your power! Stop living in your wounds!"

Also of great importance is to let go of any attachments to the outcome. Come what may. Life by definition is painful. We all get sick, and whether we like it or not, we're all going to die, and there's nothing "wrong" with that. Our society wants us to feel bad or responsible for illness, which only serves to increase our suffering and impede its healing. My own experience has taught me that illness can teach us many lessons ~ driving us deeper into our souls where we need to be. Just take the step of opening fully to your life experience and listen to what Loving Presence has to say to you. Every single drop that falls into the well of our collective compassion really does serve to heal ourselves and the world, whether or not we can actually see the results.

I'm glad to say Tim's mom is in high spirits and intentionally sending and sharing lovingkindness with her is creating a space of healing for her spirit and easing some of her suffering.

My closest spiritual friends' mothers are suffering from grave illnesses right now. Tim's mom, who I just mentioned, and my friend Joan, whose mother, Jo is in the final stages of aggressive lung cancer. It was while holding Joan and Jo in prayer that I got this idea of testing out metta, or lovingkindness practice up here on the blog. Kindess is healing. Please join me in creating some kindness for the world.


St. Francis of Assisi's Metta Practice

Make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Below is a list of people from this blog community in need. (click here to see the comments section from Metta Blast~1 for details.) Include yourself first, and pick one or more people from the list below. Please feel free to add your personal requests in the comments section. They can be anonymous if you like.

May you be safe, happy, healthy, and live with ease.

1. Joan and her mother Jo, who is in the final stages of aggressive lung cancer.

2. Tim's step-mother, Jeannie who has 2 forms of lymphoma and a heart condition.

3. Tamara's adopted son, Robert. I know this boy, and he is so fabulous. Hold him in the light!

4. Abigayle, who is 11 years old and has cancer.

5. Star's father, who is in the end-stages of alzeihmer's disease.

6. E. who is struggling with severe bi-polar depression.

7. My mother, Janet who has been ill with food poisoning for 4 days!

(If you've forgotten how to formally practice Metta, click here. It doesn't matter how you do it... it just matters that you do it.)

Posted by vincent at May 11, 2007 10:48 AM

Comments

Another beautiful post! Thanks once again for holding my mom and myself in your glorious light. I just want to add that healing doesn't necessarily mean not dying or walking again after being paralyzed for life. Those things can and do happen but we also know that one day we are all going to die. I believe the best healing is one in which an individual comes to terms with their life and then passes onto the next level in peace and love.

Posted by: jzrart at May 11, 2007 01:04 PM

Joan,
Totally true. I didn't intend to give the impression we're supposed to live forever. We all get sick and we all die. It's a part of life. Illness also has much to teach us. The most important healings are on the soul level, and I think some of our illnesses are linked to being out of sync with the soul. Your comment inspired me to amend my post to reflect these import aspects of life, illness and healing. THANK YOU.

Posted by: susan at May 11, 2007 01:37 PM

Thank you for revisiting this, Susan. This has already made an incredible difference to me; it has changed my prayer life.

I believe as Joan does, that complete healing is not always the answer (although I think we should expect it, because I do believe in miracles). The spiritual, inner healing that occurs helps us deal with the circumstances, whatever they are.

Each generation brings with it the words that help them understand, and the words of St. Francis of Assisi bring to mind the popular phrase "be the change you want to see." In loving, forgiving, etc. we live what we hope for in the lives of others and are the ultimate benefactor of the ripples that spread from our own actions.

I will continue to uplift those listed.

Posted by: Star at May 11, 2007 02:05 PM

You know, it's a relief to know I don't have to do all the work up here and my fellow travelers will so eloquently express their views to build upon what I've posted. We are all each other's teachers. This blog is not an exercise in "look at moi", and if it ever seems to appear that way, somebody, please smack me. I am not a master, I am a meditator whose humble intention is to be an actively engaged Bodhisatva Warrior Princess. (Aim high! That's what my mamma always says.) This is my online meditation. Take what works for you and leave the rest behind. I am honored to share what I learn and create with such wonderful and wise people. I wish people would comment like this more often, it is simply wonderful.

Posted by: susan at May 11, 2007 03:49 PM

A request for April's husband Pat--several broken bones in a fall last weekend, facing surgery next week.

Posted by: Kathy at May 12, 2007 12:30 AM

Sitting still, being aware of breathing, listening and accepting, trusting that everything is as it should be, event he painful...that is the lesson I keep working out,
letting go and letting be, and being faithful to trusting.
I have a very long way to go.

Posted by: tongue in cheek at May 12, 2007 01:21 AM

Beautiful Susan. Indeed, we can choose to live in our pain or focus our energy on sending out love and healing to others, and in the process, heal our wounded selves.

Posted by: jayne at May 12, 2007 07:29 AM

"Stop Living In Your Wounds"

That is the most powerful sentence I have read in a long time.

I am going to put that where I can see it. I have been doing that and am going to stop.

Thank you for such a wonderful post, and for this postitive place of change and healing!

Posted by: Cara at May 13, 2007 12:32 AM

Hi Susan,

I see how you are striking a balance in many ways here. This is so skilful of you. :-) I think balance is a key to wholesome mindfulness and health. When you can balance religion and thinking and feeling and when you can balance body and mind and spirit and when you can balance the ego and when you can balance between selfishness and selflessness and sensing the subtle differences when you begin to sway one way or the other, seems to be a critical point in one’s skills.

Recently I have received a healing in my mind and spirit and have been sending healing Metta and I feel like living cell of sorts of a greater whole. I have my involvements in different communities and I can see a parallel of intentions to heal the planet. I feel you all and send Metta to you all. I’ll keep watching this in Mindful breathing.

This is a good place to be.

I bow to the divine in you all.

Namaste.


Posted by: Bob at May 13, 2007 09:37 AM

Bob.. Thank you for your insightful words. We are so very interconnected, and it is my hope that sharing both my buddhist and Christian paths will help others not only heal, but see the skillfullness to be found at the heart of both traditions. Buddha sought to eliminate human suffering through his message of Radical Acceptance, and Jesus sought to heal the world through his message of Radical Love. At the end of the day, this is what we all need to heal the disconnect between our bodies and souls ~ Seeing our condition with eyes wide open, and holding ourselves and our neighbors with complete LOVE.

Big huge namaste to you too.
Susan

Posted by: susan at May 13, 2007 12:09 PM

You cannot beat love, kindness, compassion, caring, understanding, and balance when dealing with others. Great job, Susan.

Posted by: janet at May 13, 2007 07:37 PM

Thanks for adding my sweet boy to your list. I've been praying the metta prayer and it gives me much peace.

We're off to Glasgow on Thursday, and will be having the kids baptized over there. We know - or were told, at least - that they were baptized Russian Orthodox, but we'll give the Catholics the chance to do their thing as well! We've got a black suit for Robert, and the most precious white "flower girl" dress for Kate. The clan will get a huge kick out of it all, I'm sure!

Peace out;)

Posted by: tamara at May 13, 2007 09:10 PM

I did it again last night. I send you all my Metta.

Posted by: Bob at May 14, 2007 03:04 AM

oh yes, this is all very very good.

Posted by: Candy at May 14, 2007 07:53 AM

Susan, you are such a dear! I haven't been around the blogosphere for many months, as my life has become very very full. But now I'm delighted to see what you've been doing with Visual Voice since then, so I'll make more effort to come around.

My Mom's name is Barbara. She lives in Frederick MD. She has lymphoma, but is responding beautifully, and all tumors have disappeared! That's an amazing feat for an 80 year old. Please add her to your list, and PLEASE don't pray for a cancer cure, as that will simply reinforce the image of illness. Please pray only for her radiant health to continue and expand.

Many zillions of thanks!
Bonnie

Posted by: Wandering Willow at May 14, 2007 12:22 PM