Disordered storage spaces, abandoning commitments, and the swift action principle
Welcome to this week's edition of Weekend Favorites, where we share simplicity articles, inspiration, and more to help you make the most of your weekend. Today, we delve into ways to transform your holiday season, starting with the practice of Metta meditation—a form of loving-kindness meditation that has its roots in early Buddhist teachings.
Originating from the Metta Sutta, a text dating back to around the 3rd to 1st century BCE, Metta meditation was initially used as a practical guide for monks facing fear and hostility in the forest. Instead of resorting to fear or hostility, the Buddha taught them to cultivate and radiate loving-kindness towards all beings, even those perceived as threatening. This practice, rooted in compassion, is said to have brought peace and harmony, demonstrating the transformative power of love over fear.
Metta meditation is significant as a spiritual practice aimed at developing unconditional love, kindness, and compassion. It is not just about emotional reactions but about cultivating a stable, ongoing state of mind. As explained by scholars like Bhikkhu Bodhi and Thanissaro Bhikkhu, metta is a form of "weaponless protection" that creates an environment in which hostility and harm naturally diminish, promoting psychological well-being and social harmony. By nurturing compassion as the default state of being, practitioners can overcome inner fears, resentments, and negative emotions.
In addition to Metta meditation, we offer a variety of tools to help you change your mood, protect your mental health during stressful news periods, and find a book you won't want to put down. We also suggest a podcast to help you change the way you use digital devices, two books for reading, and ways to support groups promoting peace and providing relief to victims in Israel and Palestine.
Remember, simplifying life is not just about reducing clutter or stress, but about having a life that truly matters. To help you on this journey, we provide a method to help you join The Simplicity Space, opening soon, and a 30-day Decluttering Challenge that you can start anytime. You can also subscribe to receive Weekend Favorites almost every Saturday, and save the article for later reference.
This week, we also highlight a favourite Instagram account, @thelifeonpurposemovement, and offer a method to help you find an article you won't want to put down. We hope these tips and resources inspire you to create the holiday season you truly desire.
[1] Bhikkhu Bodhi and Thanissaro Bhikkhu, "Metta: A Practice Guide," Access to Insight, 2000, https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-books/metta/index.html.
- Engaging in Metta meditation, a practice rooted in compassion and originating from the Metta Sutta, can help promote psychological well-being and social harmony, transforming our response to fear and hostility.
- To protect your mental health during stressful news periods, we offer tools such as finding a book you won't want to put down, changing the way you use digital devices, and supporting peace groups in Israel and Palestine.
- Beyond decluttering and reducing stress, simplifying life is about having a life that truly matters. Join The Simplicity Space, participate in the 30-day Decluttering Challenge, and subscribe to Weekend Favorites for inspiring tips and resources.
- Personal growth and self-development can be fostered through the practice of Metta meditation, aiming at cultivating unconditional love, kindness, and compassion as a stable, ongoing state of mind.
- In addition to Metta meditation, we suggest exploring resources such as Instagram account @thelifeonpurposemovement, and finding articles that inspire your creativity and personal growth.
