Loving kindness

~

Click on the image to enlarge.
(Or view a larger pdf image of this page: “May We All Feel…..”,
but it may be slow to open)

~

~
Click on image, above, to enlarge it.
   (Or view a larger pdf image of the page: Just like..)

~

These particular phrases are from Kelly McGonigal’s website , Stanford University. She reports that the “Just like myself…” format is from Pema Chodron.
Sharon Salzberg has written some really good books that describe the Loving Kindness practice.
Dr.Kristin Neff at the Universtiy of Texas also has a really helpful site with many self compassion ideas and practices. She also has written a really good book…Self Compassion…with lots of very helpful and insightful ideas in it…
Jennifer Berezan, a wonderful writer and singer, in a youtube clip of the making of  “In These Arms:A Song For All Beings”, a very special loving kindness CD.

~

 

Click on small image above to view  “May we all feel…”

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”…

Therefore,
“may we all feel happy and contented,
healthy and strong,
safe and protected
and at ease”

~

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

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…..”.

The choice of  specific words for these phrases in the top image (people choose their own wording variations) may have come from Sylvia Boorstein, a wonderful teacher at Spirit Rock in Woodacre,CA…it’s a bit hard to remember what came from where or whom.  Saying these phrases can be very soothing and healing.

 

I happened to have noticed that music, images and metaphors seem to function like wonderful “Doorways”  to a sense of  Compassion, Loving Kindness or other positive emotions.Perhaps give a few of the following music links a try, to support you in this practice….

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 youtube clip from the making of A Song For All Beings, a Loving Kindness CD. It’s a wonderful CD. There is also a clip of Jack Kornfield doing a loving kindness meditation in that youtube clip and  CD .
And…a nice youtube slide show set to John Lennon singing Imagine

~