This talk reviews mudita, typically translated as sympathetic joy, and represents the ability to emotionally resonate with the happiness of other beings.  Sympathetic joy is a manifestation of lovingkindness and is similar to compassion, as both are ways that the mind can respond skillfully and beneficially to the innate emotional resonance all humans share.  Compassion resonates to the distress and confusion of others, while sympathetic joy resonates to the success and happiness of others.  Peter reviews what are called the “far enemy” and “near enemy” of mudita, emphasizing the importance of persistent cultivation of mindfulness to monitor and balance the empathic attunement process that is manifested.  The review is followed by discussion of the application of mudita among the participants.  This discussion is intended to be accompanied by “Guided Enjoying the Happiness of Others Meditation”, recorded the same night.

Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  Enjoying the Happiness of Others

Next week’s talk will focus on the mind conditioning factor of Wisdom, that is, a correct understanding of how the wholesome mind conditioning factors cooperate and integrate into daily life experience.