Just as a map is a very useful thing to help know where you are, and how to get to where you want to go, so too is the mandala of the Brahma Viharas. It can do the same thing on an internal level. Firstly you need to know where you are, which means you need to be awake to your present experience to know that, and then you can see where it fits in the Mandala. So firstly, once you are connected and aware of what is happening right now, you then look to see if your present experience relates to Metta, Karuna, Mudita or Upekkha’s positive qualities, their near enemies or somewhere on the spectrum of the far enemies...
