Make a Wish

The purpose of this meditation is to develop the sincere wish that all living beings can find true happiness, and then to see what this means in the light of equanimity.

I began the meditation by doing some breathing meditation until my mind was settled.

I then thought about how everyone I know (except some of my Dharma friends) are trying to find happiness in worldly pleasures which cannot possibly yield the result they wish for. Take alcohol. People drink alcohol and ‘have a good time’, but no-one would pretend that this is a permanent solution. The drug wears off and you are left with a hangover and your old world back again.

I thought about my love for all living beings, and how I wish that they could find true happiness – true lasting happiness. I wished that they could find happiness, and settled on that thought.

After a while I wondered what this meant in the light of equanimity. I saw that my feeling of friendliness and warmth towards other living beings is part of my wish for them to find true everlasting happiness.

With this understanding, I returned to my wish for all living beings to attain pure happiness, and stayed with this lovely feeling for the rest of the meditation.

Dedication

May all living beings find true happiness through the blessings and inspiration of Buddha, the wisdom of Dharma and the help of the Sangha.

Practice in the Meditation Break

I will try to wish happiness upon everyone I meet.