The yearning that runs through Mirabai's devotion—for union, for presence, for love—becomes practice fuel, preventing brahmaviharas from becoming complacent.
Mirabai's spiritual path was animated by intense longing—the ache of separation from Krishna that never fully resolved in her lifetime. This longing was not seen as a problem to fix but as the very fire of practice. In Buddhist brahmaviharas, longing plays a crucial role often overlooked in sanitized accounts of compassion. When we practice metta, mudita, karuna, and upekkha, we are fundamentally expressing a longing: for connection, for the relief of suffering, for harmony. This longing keeps practice alive, prevents it from becoming mere technique. Mirabai shows that the examined heart contains both presence and absence, both union and separation. In relationships, longing means you remain spiritually awake—you have not settled into taking the other for granted. Your compassion stays fresh because it is animated by the desire to truly meet the other. This longing is not neurotic neediness but spiritual vitality. It asks: can I love as though each encounter might be the last? Can I offer brahmaviharas from a place of devoted hunger rather than settled comfort?
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
Explore related journeys or tell Peri what you're working through.