Loving Kindness Meditation

Ed and Deb Shapiro have been teaching meditation for 25 years. One of the meditation practices they teach is loving kindness meditation.

Loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity are the foundations for a happy life. They are known collectively as the four immeasurable minds.

These practices work for anyone. They are not restricted to any religion, race, or creed. They are universal human qualities.

Loving Kindness Meditation

Ed and Deb Shapiro wrote about loving kindness meditation on the Huffington Post.

Their method is described in this quote.

This meditation opens your heart by developing loving kindness.

Start by breathing into the area of your heart, softening and relaxing with the in-breath, and letting go of tension on the out-breath. Hold your name or an image of yourself in your heart and silently repeat: May I be well, may I be happy, may I be filled with loving kindness. Do this for five minutes or more.

Then, silently wish all beings be well, all beings be happy. If you are at work you can spend a few minutes repeating the names of the people you work with and wishing them happiness and joy. On your way home from work reflect on your day and generate loving thoughts to all those you met. At night, think of each member of your family and wish them wellness and happiness: May they be well, may they be happy, may they be filled with loving kindness. Do this for five or more minutes. Source.

Ed and Deb Shapiro have authored a couple of books. You may want to check them out.

9 Minute Meditation

In the 9 Minute Meditation course, you will learn a complete set of loving kindness meditation practices. These are guided meditation practice recordings along the same lines as the beginning guided meditations in the course.

You can use the verses in 9 Minute Meditation, or you can write your own.

You will settle into your meditation using the guided meditation process.

You will begin the loving kindness blessings by sending unconditional friendliness to yourself. You will practice this for the rest of the 9 minute meditation.

In the second guided meditation in this series, you will shower loving kindness blessings on members of your immediate family. This includes only spouses, children, and parents.

In the third lesson, you will extend your loving kindness blessings to your “sisters and brothers and aunts,” uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and their children.

In the next lesson, you will learn how to send loving kindness to the people you know who are suffering.

In the final lesson in the series, you will send loving kindness blessings to mother earth and all sentient beings.

Does this make sense to you? Everyone can use a lot of loving kindness daily,

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