Phrases from “Loving kindness”….

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The phrases on this page are from a  practice called “Loving Kindness.”  The purpose of this practice is to generate a heartfelt sense of  compassion and loving kindness toward others and oneself.

When I think about it, it really seems that….

What affects one, affects us all. 

What affects you, affects me.

What affects “them”, affects “us”….

Perhaps, there is no “them”,  just “all of us”…

And therefore,

“may we all feel happy and contented,

healthy and strong,

safe and protected

and at ease”.

The phrases are repeated, with heartfelt wishes, again and again, starting with “May I feel….”, repeating the four qualities on the right side, progressing to “May you feel….”,  “May we feel….” and then “May all beings feel…..”.

Link to Betsy Rose  singing a clip from a very healing song called “We are Sending You Light To Heal You, To Hold You”     This song is written by Melanie Demore.   Another song about comfort: This Is to Mother You by Sinead O’Connor .    Jennifer Berezan has wonderful songs. Here is a really special youtube video from the making of A Song For All Beings, a Loving Kindness CD. (definitely worth watching and listening to!) It’s also a wonderful CD. There is also a clip of Jack Kornfield doing a special loving kindness meditation in that youtube clip and  CD .

This post was originally “posted” Loving Kindness: April 7,  (there  are a few good links in that post…) but I like it so much that I brought it to the top for today…

And so, again….my wish: 

may we all be happy and contented,

healthy and strong,

safe and protected

and at ease.

There is a beautiful  “prayer” called Shantideva’s Prayer” that expresses this “loving kindness” sentiment…I’m told that it’s a daily prayer of the DalaiLama.  Shantideva was a scholar/monk/poet who lived in the 8th century.