Loving-Kindness

Before participating in the loving-kindness exercise, I read what I was going to do, and I thought that it sounded pretty strange.  Plus, I had to think of people that I do not care for or might even consider enemies.  Of course, I thought my husband of nearly ten years when it was suggested to think about an individual that I love.  My faucet of loving-kindness did not flow as if it were fully turned on so much as a slight trickle.  It is not to say that I do not love my husband dearly, but it is not about feelings, and I just had a difficult time focusing. 

So I began to think of all that he does for me.  The faucet began to flow a little more freely.  Then suddenly, I am told to turn these thoughts toward myself.  What?  I do not feel for myself what I feel for my husband, but I tried to let go of the negative thoughts when I was directed to turn these loving feelings inward.  I continued with deep breaths, and took notice of the warm sensation in my body.  It was relaxing and calming. 

When I directed to look at the background, I heard the waves, and I envisioned myself as a beach, and the waves come rushing into me which represented all of these people and thoughts in my life.  They kept coming, but it was not unsettling so much as a representation of the waves and myself existing together without chaos.  In fact, it was peaceful.  It was just the quiet, calm sound of the waves. 

When I reached the part that instructed me to breath in the suffering of my enemies, and breath out peace and comfort, it was more difficult.  My first few breaths felt warm and fiery.  I began to think of the suffering that my enemies have endured, and I felt empathy towards them, and was able to breath out a little easier and more freely. 

I really felt odd doing this exercise.  I had to force myself to feel a specific way, and it was not comfortable.  I will continue doing this exercise in order to think more outwardly rather than self-centeredly.  I benefitted from this exercise by thinking of those whom I do not care for, and identifying with the fact that they suffer, too.  I would recommend this exercise to others because it might work well for some people.  There are few people out there that do not need to learn to be less selfish.  This world would be a much better place if we stopped thinking so much about ourselves and our own needs, and consider others and their needs.

The concept of a mental workout is to develop our psychospiritual lives.  In order to do this, we need to practice on a daily basis.  As we continue to practice, we see results.  Mental workouts result in health, happiness, and wholeness.  Through implementing mental workouts, my psychological health can increase through discovering unhealthy patterns or behaviors and changing them. 

Thank you!

Amy