Spring Forward With Loving Kindness
If I told you about my week, you would think it was something off an episode of KUWTK. Unfortunately you don’t get to choose your family, it chooses you. But even with all its craziness I have to admit it kinda felt good to release the anger and frustration, after-all I am only human. I learned first-hand that months of pinned up frustration and anger does not serve me well at all and I forgot my number one rule, release the anger before a bomb goes off.
Nevertheless with all the fuss, I gave myself permission to forgive myself, laugh at it and move on with loving kindness. How did I do it? A loving kindness meditation of course and if you need to extend some loving kindness to yourself, difficult people in your life or the world, I have just the meditation for you. And oh boy, I can attest to the fact that it works.
Thich Nhat Hanh, one of the most famous Zen Masters, said this about loving-kindness. “The essence of loving-kindness is being able to offer happiness… So build a home inside by accepting yourself and learning to love and heal yourself. Learn how to practice mindfulness in such a way that you can create moments of happiness and joy for your own nourishment. Then you have something to offer the other person.”
So let’s begin shall we…
Sitting still, breathing naturally, bringing a quality of calm and stability into your body, repeat these phrases below to yourself and for yourself first.
Then bring the image of a loved one in your mind’s eye. Offer them these phrases by stating them with “May you..”
Then offer the phrases to someone you don’t know well (a neutral person), “May you..”
Then to someone who is difficult to get along (a difficult person), “May [X]..”
Then finally offer these phrases to all beings by stating them with “May all beings…”.
May I be peaceful, happy, light in body and spirit.
May I be safe and free from injury.
May I be free from anger, afflictions, fear and anxiety.
May I learn to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and love
May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself.
May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving and delusion in myself.
May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in myself every day.
May I be able to live fresh, solid and free.
May I be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.
If you had a crazy day, week or month (I hope not) and find this meditation helpful, send me an email or stop by and we can laugh or cry about it together. My only rule is you have to forgive yourself in the process.