Instructional &
Informational Posts
Those people in the yoga advertisements looking perfectly zen sitting in lotus position next to a lotus flower? Good for them, but that’s not your life, is it? You have a cell phone, you have kids, you have noise in your life. But you also (we swear) have time to meditate. Join us for a weekly meditation you can incorporate into your life, anytime, anywhere.
Even with the best of intentions, there are days when you feel less than loving. There are days when you feel less than kind. It is these moments, more than any other that it becomes important to dig deep and recognize the goodness that still resides within you.
Metta, or lovingkindness (one word, one concept) is quite simple when you’re feeling wonderfully, and quite difficult when you’re feeling challenged by life. It’s a way to remember that love and peace exist in themselves, without being owned by circumstance.
On a day when you feel filled with blame, regret, longing or exhaustion, have a seat. Allow yourself to focus on what you want, on what you need and on how you feel. It’s important to begin by directing love inwards, aligning yourself with the recognition that ultimately you want to be happy.
Repeat to yourself, “May I be at ease. May I be filled with loving kindness.” Try to feel the love that resides from within, without an object.
Move on by focusing your attention on a beloved person in your life. Focus on their features, on their spirit, on the way they make you feel. With this person’s visage in your mind’s eye, repeat to yourself “May [person’s name] be at ease. May [person’s name] be filled with loving kindness.” Feel goodness multiply from within.
Moving along, think of someone fairly neutral, such as an acquaintance in your life. Focus on what you can recall of them and repeat the same mantra “May [person’s name] be at ease. May [person’s name] be filled with loving kindness.”
Finally, direct metta towards someone you have experienced conflict with, or perhaps have found difficult to forgive. This person is considered to be a blockage and could be holding you back from your full potential of kindness. Without a backstory, picture this person. Give them your attention, your love your kindness. Repeat “May [person’s name] be at ease. May [person’s name] be filled with loving kindness” until you mean it.
Through the power of this practice, we separate ourselves from the “us” and “them” phenomena and realize that we can feel equally powerfully within our hearts for all beings.
We ourselves have infinite potential to expand our feelings of connection, giving us more control of our internal frustrations.
Loving kindness.
--
Courtney Sunday is a writer, yoga teacher, Pilates instructor, spinning instructor and Thai massage practitioner. She teaches corporations in Toronto the fine art of breathing deeply, and travels too much for her own good. She likes to cook meals from scratch using ingredients from her garden, and would mill her own flour and make her own butter if she had more hours in the day. Find out more about her at www.courtneysunday.com.
