Loving Kindness Meditation

Google says that “Being a spiritual person is synonymous with being a person whose highest priority is to be loving to yourself (love that) and others. A spiritual person cares about people, animals, and the planet. A spiritual person knows that we are all one, and consciously attempts to honor this oneness. A spiritual person is a kind person.”

What a beautiful definition of being spiritual. The spiritual body is part of all of us. This google definition is our nature or instinct. This part of us is always connected to the oneness and speaks the language of love.

When disruption comes into our lives we may be tempted to think about the why’s and spend time going over the difficult emotions this hard thing is bringing up. It is our thoughts derived from emotional wounds that buy into the idea of disconnection from what we want or others - it buys into disruption itself. AND (not but) because our thoughts and emotions are a natural part of our human side. AND, if in these moments we can allow our spiritual body to do what it’s meant to do, to connect these experiences to the truth and symbolism they may represent and find meaning in them, It can change our whole reaction.

We may feel or believe we are disconnected, but the truth is that connection to wholeness is always our truth.

Kindness is related to the root word kin or family. “One of our kind” uses the word inclusively. Kindness is the action. The behavior of kin or family. The behavior of connected people. Your spiritual body understands connection. Its purpose is connection. It wants you to feel the connection it knows and understands as pure truth.

I want to share with you an exercise known as a loving-kindness meditation. This is a HEALING exercise you can do often. It feels wonderful and has been the subject of several scientific studies. I love the many types of meditations. Let me know what you think and what your experience is with this one.

You may want to close your eyes if it is safe for you to do so.

Turn your attention to your heart. Imagine your breath coming in and out of your heart as you take several long deep breaths.

Really feel the chest and belly expand with each breath.

Focus on the beating of your heart and imagine each beat filing the heart with deep gratitude. Feel the warmth of your own heart.

Imagine a person or a pet or a heavenly being that has loved you, understood you and accepted you. Allow yourself to experience their loving-kindness as if they were right near you as if all of your special time together could be felt all at once. They are delighted by you and grateful for you just as you are.

Relax into this feeling of love and acceptance.

Feel the warm feeling of connection. Keeping the attention in the heart.

Thoughts will arise, simply see them disappear and return to the warmth of the heart.

You may want to put your hands on your heart and really feel into the energy and POWER of love and kindness.

Repeat these words connecting into their meaning.

May I feel connected to loving-kindness.

May I be at peace and feel safe.

May my body be healthy and my mind clear.

May I always have what I need.

May my heart be filled with peace.

Imagine the someone who means a lot to you, feel the goodness of this person’s heart feeling the connection between you.

Imagine that this person receives as you say out loud or to yourself

May you feel connected to loving-kindness.

May you be at peace and feel safe.

May your body be healthy and your mind clear.

May you always have what you need.

May your heart be filled with peace.

Bring to your awareness a group that you belong to. It may be your family or colleagues - any group you interact with regularly. Connect to this group within your heart.

Imagine them saying to you.

May you feel connected to loving-kindness.

May you be at peace and feel safe.

May your body be healthy and your mind clear.

May you always have what you need.

May your heart be filled with peace.

Repeat within yourself back to this group

May you feel connected to loving-kindness.

May you be at peace and feel safe.

May your bodies be healthy and your minds clear.

May you always have what you need.

May your hearts be filled with peace.

Now connect with someone you’ve met casually, someone you might recognize but who you don’t know well. Repeat to them imagining that they are able to receive the impact of the words.

May you be connected to loving-kindness.

May you be happy and safe.

May you be healthy in body and in mind.

May you always have enough.

May your heart know peace.

Imagine them returning the connection back to you as you repeat and take in the words.

May you feel connected to loving-kindness.

May you be at peace and feel safe.

May your body be healthy and your mind clear.

May you always have what you need.

May your heart be filled with peace.

Now imagine someone you don’t care for. It could be a person or a group of people. You may feel this person is unworthy of your love and kindness. Imagine them as a young, vulnerable child or children.

Look deep into their eyes and note the deepest emotion their eyes are expressing.

Say to this young vulnerable child

May you be held in loving kindness.

May you be happy and safe.

May you be healthy in body and in mind.

May you always have enough.

May your heart know peace.

Imagine your words as a healing balm to their deepest emotion.

Allow them to say back to you.

May you feel connected to loving-kindness.

May you be at peace and feel safe.

May your body be healthy and your mind clear.

May you always have what you need.

May your heart be filled with peace.

Finally, connect to as many people and animals, the mineral world and the plant world. The happy and sad, the loved and neglected, the ones out front and the marginalized, those in good health or in poor health, in all stages of life.

Simply see them as a whole covering all the ends of the earth.

Say with a sincere and tender heart.

May you all be held and connected in loving kindness.

May you all be in happiness and safety.

May you all be healthy in body, mind, and spirit.

May you always have enough.

May your hearts be at peace.

Allowing them to honor you in return really feeling your connection to all people and things of the earth as they honor you with the blessing

May you feel connected to loving-kindness.

May you be in happiness and feel safe.

May your body be healthy, your mind clear, and may your spirit soar.

May you always have what you need.