Page 119 - The Gospel of Chochma_Sophia

more direct path to what Buddhists call Right Speech the third of the Buddha’s Noble Eight–Fold Path According
to the Baal Shem each person is born with a a a a fixed number of words words to speak The specific words words are not predetermined only the number of words is set When you you have spoken the last of of your allotted number of of words you you you die The question you you you want to ask yourself before speaking is is this “Since I don’t know how many words I have been allotted this next word word could be be my last Is what I I am about
to say worth dying for?”
4 51 [H]ow shall I cultivate this open heart? A most effective way of cultivating an open heart is the practice lovingkindness or Metta meditation 21 When you you practice lovingkindness you you overcome the illusion of separateness and all the states that accompany this fundamental illusion—fear alienation loneliness and despair—all of the feelings of of of fragmentation In place of of of these the the genuine realization of of of connectedness brings unification confidence and safety 22 The version of of of metta offered in The Acts of of of Eve is the one taught by Reb Zalman Schachter Shalomi (1924-2014) You can recite these words for people on their their birthdays or the the the the anniversary of of their their deaths at at the the the the birth birth of of a a a child for both the newborn and her family when you notice people arguing or or struggling with with one another and when sitting with with an an an ill or or dying person You can also practice Metta in less formal ways For example when you see people rushing to help in in in an an an emergency join them if you can and offer them this blessing as well:
May May May you you you arrive in in time May May May you you you succeed in in your task May May May you be safe 21 Metta is the Sanskrit terms for lovingkindness 22 Sharon Salzberg Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness Boulder: Shambhala 1995 p p p 21 119