LOVING-KINDNESS: On the path of positive thinking and happiness.

(On the cultivation of Loving-kindness and how it can help with hatred, getting along with others, and self-hate.)

When we think of meditation, we usually have this image of a person sitting in the full lotus posture and focusing on their breath.

Inhale. Exhale. Repeat to eternity or until you can’t feel your feet anymore.

For the longest time, this was the same image I had about meditation. Only this past Christmas Holiday I rediscovered the other way we could meditation.

Now, before I dive into the backstory of what led me back and the nuts and bolts of how you can practice, I want to say the many kinds of meditation techniques are wonderful tools for everyone — regardless of religious beliefs. It’s a great stress reliever and an anxiety management tool when dealing with different obstacles in life.

For this post, the name of game is Loving-kindness meditation (also known as Mettā meditation).

JUST BREATHE: CONTROLLING SOCIAL ANXIETY

“Meditation is not to get out of society, to escape from society, but to prepare for a reentry into society.” — Thich Nhat Hanh, from Being Peace.

The more mindful you become of your daily activities, no matter how mundane they are, you can start to feel more alive. The best way I can describe it is to compare it as a synchronization between the mind and the body. The control factor is always you the practitioner. And what you control is your breathing. There are probably hundreds of techniques you could employ and you wouldn’t be wrong in any way as long as you can benefit from it.

For myself, it’s as simple as reminding you that you are alive. Or a breaking down of techniques found in zen practices in the wonderful books of Thich Nhat Hanh.