No Hate in 2008

It’s a new year and we are off to a booming start. Our schedule is filling up with classes and the excitement of traveling to meet new therapists and yogis from all around the nation. This year our adventure began in Santa Fe, New Mexico at La Posada. A beautiful city filled with art, music, hot springs and gracious people. If you ever get the chance to visit Santa Fe you must soak in the healing waters of 10,000 Waves and/ or Ojo Caliente.

It was here we were reminded that Metta or Loving Kindness is not just a practice saved for the mat or the table. According to Thai therapist Pierce Salguero, Metta is “The feeling that all beings are our friends, and holding a sincere desire to benefit all beings through our words, thoughts and actions.” A Thai student who is a former corporate power broker is considering a reentry into the corporate world. She asked if she could still practice Metta even in the midst of corporate bureaucracy. A very Wise teacher once said to us that the ‘Question and answer always appear together.’ During her questioning, she realized that YES, though it may be a courageous challenge to practice metta in a formal institution, it just may be the challenge that she is now ready for--only after her experience of cultivating loving kindness practicing Thai massage.

This year I have made a personal resolution to practice Metta on and off the mat. The Dalai Lama says that “compassion is one of the principle things that make our lives meaningful; it’s the source of all lasting happiness and joy.” By caring, loving, telling the truth and treating others fairly we ensure personal and societal benefits. I invite you to practice with me in this wish for this new year. . . no Hate in 2008.