Buddhism and the Four Immeasurable Qualities

As we close out a year many of us are ready to leave behind, this episode reflects on what we might want to carry forward—and what we can gently let go of. I explore the Buddhist teaching of the brahmavihāras , or Four Immeasurables, as a way of giving our hearts a place to live that is honest, resilient, and humane. The Four Immeasurables—loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity—are called “immeasurable” because they are not limited resources. They don’t require perfection or self-improvement. They begin with noticing what is actually happening. In this episode, we explore: Loving-kindness Begins with softening toward ourselves, not being “nice” or agreeable Extends outward to loved ones, strangers, and even enemies without requiring forgiveness or approval Far enemy: hatred Near enemy: conditional or performative kindness Compassion Feeling another’s pain as our own, grounded in shared humanity Distinct from sympathy or pity Far enemy: cruelty Near enemy: pity Sympathetic joy Feeling another person’s happiness as our own A remedy for isolation and scarcity thinking Far enemy: envy Near enemy: shallow or distracting pleasure Equanimity Staying present with joy and sorrow without grasping or pushing away Fully engaged, not numb or indifferent Far enemy: grasping Near enemy: indifference or “good vibes only” detachment Throughout the episode, I emphasize that the practice is not about trying to embody these qualities, but about noticing our real relationship to them. That noticing itself is the practice. Music Segment We close with a podcast after party featuring “Jump Around” by House of Pain, along with a story from my time working at Tommy Boy Records in the early ’90s and a brief exploration of the mysterious opening sample. A link to The Best Sample in History video is included here . Watch this episode on video If you’d like to watch the podcast, the video version is coming soon. Ask me a question You can send your questions via Instagram DM or through our form — I’d love to include them in future episodes. Building a Mindful New Year is a free, six-day online program exploring how Buddhist practice can help us stay present, steady, and valu If you enjoyed this episode: Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path. For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me. If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com . Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com Produced by Citizens of Sound Music by: Derek O'Brien ©Open Heart Project