Loving Kindness - a way of being
As we step on or off our mats this month our focus is Loving Kindness. 28 sweet days/nights to radiate from our heart and allow it to create change starting within ourselves. We have the opportunity to allow it to travel into our communities of friends and family, and into the world going beyond our comfort into even our enemies. The practice will ask us to be mindful, aware of our feelings and thoughts. It will be demanding in the gentle way of kindness while igniting the nourishing feeling of love. We will call upon our spirit and soul to be warriors, to inspire courage from within and gratitude moment to moment. We will face adversity, for sure, as we will often find ourselves surrounded by other energies that can be more dominate, like indifference, anger, discontent, and hatred, to mention a few.
I remember a meditation practice I took once, led by Oprah Winfrey, in which she shared that Seva, Sadhana and Satsang are 3 practices that build Loving Kindness. Seva asks, “how can I help?” Sadhana asks, “how can I expand my awareness?” Satsang asks, “with whom can I share my truth?” In the practice of Loving Kindness, carry with you these 3 questions.
Seva asks how can I help, and key within that is the understanding that help feels good for both the receiver and the provider. When it only feels good for the receiver it can be due to the provider being taxed by the act of helping .This can be caused by feelings of “have to” rather than the drive of the heart to be of assistance. When it only feels good for the provider, then it can be due to the recipient not wishing for the assistance that the provider is offering. True help is a need or want from the recipient matched by a giving nature of the provider.
Sadhana has us awakening our awareness and becoming present. In this way we can be clear in our Seva. We commit ourselves each day to learning new ways, opening our heart to the path of kindness and encourage our heart and mind to work in synergy.
Satsang invites you to find support by surrounding yourself with others who are in the practice as well. We look for ways to unite others, who are mindful or live with intention, and who share their truth from their hearts or have a strong desire to be inspired in this way. Building community is essential in the ways of Loving Kindness. Loving Kindness has roots in a unified energy as does community. When we see ourselves in the mindset that we are part of something grander than ourselves, compassion and understanding ignite.
In the practice of Loving Kindness we uplift ourselves and our community! We move from a singular focus to one that is unified. Seva, service; Sadhana, consciousness; and Satsang, community will all assist you in this 28 day of practice from our heart, uplifting our community and inspiring our spirit and soul.