Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Loving Kindness Meditation for Self Care

In the yoga and mindfulness world, there is a particular type of meditation referred to as “Loving Kindness,” or “Metta.”

It is a mediation practice that is rooted in compassion and love, and is usually guided by a script.  It asks you to send intentions of peace, safety, health, and love toward an individual, a group of people, or the entire human race or the universe.

 It is a wonderful practice that I have begun to implement into my own personal life, as well as into my work with caregivers. Part of why this resonates with me and the people I work with, is because this type of meditation taps into the light that we each have within, and sends that light and compassion out into the world.

This is something that as caregivers, we all intimately know.  It taps into the warmth and light that we know can be so nourishing and necessary in this world when we activate that towards others. But what about activating that towars ourselves?

In our work with self care, I like to start with visualizing a person you are caring for. (Keep in mind that if you care for multiple people, the first person who comes to mind is usually the exact person who should. )

As you visualize this person, repeat the following intentions silently to yourself with your eyes closed:

May you be free from inner and outer harm and danger.
May you be safe and protected.
May you be free of mental suffering or distress.
May you be happy.
May you be free of physical pain and suffering.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be able to live in this world happily, peacefully, joyfully, with ease.

Next, think of a person whom you is very dear to you. It might be a family member, it may be your child, or a grandparent figure. Who is it that comes to mind when you think of love and warmth and closeness? The first person who appears to you is usually the perfect one.
As you visualize this person, send the intentions silently:

May you be free from inner and outer harm and danger.
May you be safe and protected.
May you be free of mental suffering or distress.
May you be happy.
May you be free of physical pain and suffering.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be able to live in this world happily, peacefully, joyfully, with ease.

For the last phase, I want you to hold onto those feelings and now visualize yourself. Speak directly to your own heart as you send those same, loving intentions to yourself.

May I be free from inner and outer harm and danger.
May I be safe and protected.
May I be free of mental suffering or distress.
May I be happy.
May I be free of physical pain and suffering.
May I be healthy and strong.
May I be able to live in this world happily, peacefully, joyfully, with ease.

Sit with that for a few minutes, and see how you feel. Afterward, it is interesting to ask yourself:

-        How was that last set of intentions?

-          Was it easier for you to send love and light to another person you love than it was to send that same wish for love to yourself?

If the answer is yes, you are not alone.

For so many of us, especially women, we have no problem seeing others as being worthy and deserving of safety, health, and love. We sacrifice our own well-being if it means making sure someone else feels that sense of safety and love. Yet, when it comes to ourselves, this concept may even feel foreign.

Traditionally, this meditation is done by sending the intention to yourself first, followed by expanding the intention outward to specific individuals, and ultimately to the universe.

But in a self care practice, I find that focusing on someone who is dear to you first activates those feelings of compassion that caregivers easily access toward others, making it a bit easier and perhaps more powerful when we shift that light onto ourselves.

To all of you caregivers, who give tirelessly day-in and day-out, consider taking a few moments today to spread some loving kindness to yourself.

If you are interested in reading more about loving kindness meditation, "Loving Kindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness," By Sharon Salzberg is highly recommended!

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