As you know, I’m all about giving you tools to feel better, and truthfully, this one is a serious game changer!
It’s a Buddhist practice to help you cultivate compassion or loving kindness.
Loving kindness can be defined as feeling empathy, compassion, and kindness towards yourself and others.
Neuroscience research supports that these practices have tremendous benefits including to:
Increase your experience of positive feelings while decreasing negative ones
Reduce physical pain and suffering from migraines, chronic pain, and PTSD
Help Increase social connection
Reduce negative self talk
Increase increase oxytocin and boost dopamine
And the best part is that the practice is really easy.
Below, I’ve defined the steps.
You can also listen to a podcast in which I guide you through it.
When you're ready, sit comfortably, take a deep breath and close your eyes.
1. Call to Mind - Yourself
+See yourself standing in front of you.
+Tell yourself "I love you, I really, really love you. You are magnificent, gorgeous, abundant, prosperous and radiantly healthy."
+Shower yourself with light.
2. Next Imagine Someone You love
+See them standing in front of you.
+Say to them, "I love you, I really, really love you. You are magnificent, gorgeous, abundant, prosperous and radiantly healthy."
+Shower them with light.
3. Now See a Neutral Person
+It could be the cashier from the store, the mail carrier, UPS driver, handyman. etc.
+See them standing in front of you.
+Say to them, "I love you, I really, really love you. You are magnificent, gorgeous, abundant, prosperous and radiantly healthy."
+Shower them with light.
4. Envision Someone with Whom You Have (or had) a Conflict
+See them standing in front of you.
+Say to them, "I love you, I really, really love you. You are magnificent, gorgeous, abundant, prosperous and radiantly healthy."
+Shower them with light.
5. Lastly, imagine the entire world
+Envision all sentient beings, plants and animals.
Say, "I love you, I really, really love you, blessed earth.
+Thank it for all the gifts it bestows on you.
Access my guided Metta Bhavana- Loving Kindness audio here.
Do this practice and immerse yourself into the love that interconnectedness brings.
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Image by Nastia Petruk on Unsplash