06 Dec Loving-kindness Meditation
In these difficult times, people can meet less with each other. Although the modern world allows many kinds of communication from a distance, we still miss hugs, kisses and personal encounters. Do you also find it difficult to express your love remotely? Then Loving Kindness Meditation will help you a lot.
It teaches you how to send and receive love from a distance.
What is Loving-kindness Meditation (LKM)?
Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is used to strengthen a sense of compassion, kindness, and acceptance for yourself and others. This popular self-care technique can be used to boost well-being and to reduce stress. People who practice LKM are able to increase their capacity for forgiveness, connection to others, self-acceptance, and more.
See How to Deepen Mindfulness Meditation Practice with a simple device.
Be patient
It takes time to get used to this practice because giving and receiving so much love is not so common in the life of an average person. So if it feels weird or too much for the first time, don’t give up: Give yourself as much time as you need to open your heart.
Eliminate negative emotions
It seems difficult to send love and kindness when you have some negative feelings like fear, anger, sadness, loneliness, jealousy or others. Don’t worry, experiencing some level of negative emotions is totally normal. During Loving Kindness Meditation, you focus on sending kindness and love.
You will be able to put aside all the bad feelings. It takes practice to learn how to let go all the negative thoughts and send/receive kindness without getting distracted. But if you keep practicing it will bring a lot of joy into your life.
This type of meditation is intended to promote compassion and kindness.
5 different ways to practice
There are different ways to practice this form of meditation. The following is a simple and effective Loving Kindness Meditation technique to try.
1. Give some self-care time for yourself (even a few minutes is enough) and sit down comfortably. Make sure there are no distractions. Close your eyes, relax your muscles, and take a few deep breaths.
2. Imagine yourself experiencing complete physical and emotional wellness, love and inner peace. Thank yourself for all that you are, knowing that you are a great, loving person – just as you are. Focus on the feeling of inner peace, and imagine that you are breathing out tension and breathing in feelings of love.
3. Find some positive, reassuring phrases to yourself. These are just examples, you can also create your own:
- May I be healthy
- May I be happy
- May I be peaceful
- May I be strong
- May I give and receive appreciation, love and kindness today
Repeat them at least 3 or 4 times. Deepen your meditation level. If your attention drifts, redirect it back to these feelings of loving kindness. Let these feelings fill you.
Start practicing today
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4. You can choose to either stay focused on yourself for the whole duration of your meditation or to shift your focus to your loved ones. Begin with someone who you are very close to, such as a best friend, a son or daughter, a parent, or a spouse. Send your love and gratitude for them. Stay with that feeling. You can repeat the reassuring phrases.
5. When you have a feeling that your meditation is complete, open your eyes. You can revisit these wonderful feelings you generated throughout the day. Internalize how loving kindness meditation feels, and return to those feelings by shifting your focus and taking a few deep breaths.
Keep practicing!
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