Boundless qualities can be termed as qualities that often connect us as humans to one another as well as the stream of basic goodness. They can also be defined as the basis on a qualitative level for our work in being related with dying (Joan 1). These boundless qualities can either be radiated to oneself, towards anyone one may feel neutral to as well as groups. There are four boundless qualities or abodes that include; lovingkindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. This essay focuses entirely on these four boundless qualities (Joan 1). These qualities often live in one’s mind background as well as the heart and are able to nourish healthy caregiving practices as one offers their life to other people’s well-being. They are useful in that whenever one loses balance, they are able to remember certain phrases extracted from these boundless qualities as a way to help them and also be there for other people who are suffering (Joan 2).
In the giving care experience, there exists quite a balance between one opening their heart endlessly which in other words can be termed as compassion and one accepting the limitations of what they can do and how they as well as other people feel with equanimity (Joan 3). Like in dying, one both needs to let go as well as be present for all that is happening which also applies in grieving, one needs to experience their suffering and also be present as sorrow washes through them. Compassion can be defined as the heart’s tenderness in response to any type of suffering while equanimity is a stillness that is spacious that is able to accept things as they are (Joan 4). The balance between compassion and equanimity allows people to learn how to care without them being overwhelmed. During people’s lives, their inner wisdom often tells them to relax, let go and to control fearful efforts whereas their cultural and personal history with the dying person tells them to hold on to them as well as their experiences and all their accomplishments in order for them to be happy (Joan 4). These boundless qualities teach them to learn to accept their anger, fear, sadness, pain and to learn to remain peaceful and to let go of expectations.
There are practices that focus on two aspects of grieving. The first aspect is the one that draws on the boundless qualities resources. People use lovingkindness, compassion, sympathetic joy as well as equanimity to strengthen them as they give in to grief. The (Joan 7) second aspect mainly focuses on the relevance of being sorrowful, being touched by sorrow, coming to learn about it and to finally get washed through the experience of completely being taken away by loss. While practicing these boundless abodes, human beings use lovingkindness as a method of facing suffering by being strong as well as turning towards it with depth and resolve (Joan 7). Through this way, they are able to completely come to terms with the fact that there is wisdom in suffering which is the basis of compassion as well as a way of turning suffering into wisdom (Joan 7). Learning to practice these four boundless abodes or qualities teaches many people on how to handle their grief in a wise manner by accepting the suffering and not letting it define them
In conclusion, it is evident that these boundless qualities are often used and practiced in order to connect humans to one another on a basis of goodness. They teach us to be compassionate and loving towards one another and especially when one is in a suffering period. These qualities are very essential as they help people in very many aspects of their lives and especially when one is grieving or going through any form of suffering.
Works Cited
Joan Halifax. R, “The Boundless Abodes for Caregiving, Dying, Grieving” (1-7).
