Widening Our Circumference of Caring/Loving/Belonging.
We are told when flying in an airplane, in the event of a crisis, to ensure our own oxygen mask is on and functioning before we aid others, including children.
Well, the world is in crisis, in fact numerous crisis, and many folks are sitting with their own masks on with blinders on, perhaps thinking, “if I am a good person, that is enough.”
That is for sure a place to begin and continue to grow and explore but not a place to land.
It can also be overwhelming which is why so many of the world’s wisdom traditions have teachings/stories/practices around compassion and extending our caring and concern beyond our own sphere of personal influence.
One misperception in the West is the idea that yoga/meditation/contemplative practices are solely practices of personal wellbeing. Truly these practices enhance our sense of physical wellbeing and inner peace. However, these practices are not meant to mask and bandaid our own suffering or that of others. Rather, we can turn towards our suffering and that of others and find a practice that supports the unraveling of that which prevents us from seeing the fullness of our humanity in ourselves and other humans. A practice that also supports the witness and awareness of our elemental nature and ecological self (Self) as part of the diversity of species on a living, breathing planet.
The very foundation of Yoga is ahimsa, non-harming that is not only the absence of injury, but a call to root out the causes of harm and repair harm.
Yoga in its core teachings emphasizes connection and building/ restoring right relationship through discernment, clarity and skillful action.
There are many practices and teachings from yogic philosophy that support moving from I to We.
I will share one here that is part of my regular practice and facilitates me moving beyond only caring for those that I have personal relationships with and hold genuine affection for. I notice for myself that my heart fills easily and expands to practice this towards those I care about and love. I meet myself with acceptance and curiosity where it is difficult to nurture the desire for wellness, freedom, safety and peace for specific persons or group of people.
It IS POSSIBLE to expand loving kindness AND maintain self honoring boundaries.
In all wisdom traditions we can witness the call to a greater, more expansive humanity. Living this call, embodying this call is not for the faint of heart.
These qualities of the heart can be cultivated. In a hyper individualized culture that we in the West are socialized to be self focused, this is a practice that takes us outside the illusion of separation into a sense of being held in a web of connection.
Let’s explore this together.
Loving Kindness Meditation
The practice of loving kindness has roots in the Buddhist tradition.
In the Buddhist tradition, The Four Abodes are listed below.
- Loving Kindness
- Compassion
- Sympathetic Joy
- Equanimity
These interweave and our focus however here is my offering and variation of the loving kindness meditation.
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Begin by settling into a comfortable seat. Organize your body in ways that make sense to you.
Start to slow down your breath on the inhale and the exhale. You’re welcome to close your eyes or softly focus your gaze. As your breath slows down, invite yourself to connect into your heart center.
Invite yourself to become aware of the expansion of your heart on the inhale and the release of your heart and opening on the exhale.
Invite yourself to consider the possibility of widening your capacity for love and belonging. You don’t have to be perfect, have all your shit together, or have a clear direction in life to be able to expand your capacity for love and kindness.
Invite yourself to see your own image, as if you were looking in a mirror. Observe yourself through the eyes of fierce kindness and compassion and offer yourself this blessing.
May I be well in my mind and in my body.
May I live free and safe from harm.
May I have peace.
Notice what this feels like in your heart, in your body. Allow the image to slowly fade and invite into your mind’s eye, the beings that you love most in this world. This can include animals. Picture these beings before you looking into your eyes and smile back at them through the eyes of fierce kindness and compassion. Offer them this blessing .
May you be well in your mind and in your body.
May you live free and safe from harm.
May you have peace.
Notice what this feels like in your heart and in your body, what you feel and where you feel it. Invite this image of your beloved beings to remain in your mind‘s eye and widen your circumference of caring and belonging by inviting into this space, those you hold genuine affection for. This could be extended family, friends, coworkers, and those that you spend time socializing with on a frequent basis. Picture these beings in your mind‘s eye, smiling at them through the eyes of fierce kindness and compassion. Offer them this blessing.
May you be well in your mind and in your body.
May you live free and safe from harm.
May you have peace.
Notice what this feels like in your heart and in your body what you feel and where you feel it. This is the energy of loving kindness.
The next expansion and widening of circumference can be neutral people and I often choose a category that changes. For example, in the summertime, I often will bring into this space to offer a blessing those who work in road construction. At the beginning of the school year, I often will bring people who work in various capacities in education into this space. This may be some people that you know or see often. However, this also includes people that you don’t know by name, won’t ever meet or know them in person.
The category that I am choosing for this space is displaced peoples. Invited into your mind’s eye, those who have been displaced due to natural disaster, famine, violence, and war. This may bring up feelings that feel different in your body and in your heart than the previous invitations. Notice what shows up without judgment and invite curiosity. It can help to get granular with the invitation. You may know people in your community and in our own country that have been displaced due to house fires, floods, and other disasters. This also may be you at some point in your life. Widen your circumference of belonging to include these beings that you may not know their names or faces. Extend this circumference of belonging beyond geopolitical and geographic borders to places and spaces where people just like you, that have this desire for wellness, freedom, safety, and peace are uprooted through no choice of their own and exist in an in between place where wellness, freedom, safety, and peace are elusive. In your mind‘s eye, witness these beings through the eyes of fierce kindness and compassion. Place yourself in a situation where you have to leave everything you know and love. Don’t be afraid to look into your own heart. Invite yourself to not look away from their suffering, their lack of access to wellness, food, safety, freedom, and peace. Allow your heart to be broken and transformed. Draw from the boundless heart of compassion to offer a blessing to all these beings.
May you be well in your mind and in your body.
May you live free and safe from harm.
May you have peace.
Breathing in and out here from the heart center, noticing what you feel and where you feel it in your body. Offer this blessing to close out this meditation.
May all beings be well in their minds and in their bodies.
May all beings be free and safe from harm.
May all beings have peace.
May my thoughts, my words, and my actions, contribute to the wellness, freedom, safety, and peace of all beings.
This is how we are connected.
Speak up. Step up. Show up.
On behalf of all Beings.
Don’t be silent and don’t be afraid of your beautiful broken heart.
Click below for an article that shows Palestine as the litmus test for wanting to see children well, free and safe from harm, living in peace.
Palestine is the litmus test for our values.
