Loving-kindness Practice is Not for Sissies

I’m reading a book about Altruism (Altruism: The Power of Compassion to Change Yourself and the World by Matthiew Ricard).

Reading this book has encouraged me to include more loving-kindness work in my meditation practice (both for myself and for the world — I know it helps me personally when I extend loving-kindness towards myself and I figure sending out energy of love and light into the world can’t hurt and may in some small way help).

I’ve discovered that loving-kindness practice is not for sissies.

They call it practice for a reason. It requires great discipline and much practice to master our emotions and become more loving and compassionate.

This year’s republican political candidates have given me much fodder for practice.

I’ve found nothing harder than sending genuine thoughts of loving-kindness to Donald Trump.

Sending him loving-kindness has become the center of my loving-kindness practice — I figure if I can genuinely feel loving compassionate thoughts towards this man that I will be able to send loving compassionate thoughts to almost anyone.

As I sit and reach for empathy towards this man for whom I have felt nothing but disgust, I wonder what lies beneath the blustering and negativity, the lies and manipulation. I wonder what forces led him to the way he now presents himself. (I admit that I do not see him through rose-colored glasses nor have I found anything to like or admire about what I have seen. I believe that his rhetoric has appealed to the negative side of people instead of to the positive.) But still, I wonder what it would be like to walk a mile in his shoes and I admit that my imagination often fails me in this task.

It’s hard work letting go of my feelings of anger, judgment, and disdain.

I’m not talking about doing my loving-kindness practice because I think I’m so great for doing it. I’m not. I’m much more petty, angry, and judgmental in my daily life than I would like to be.

I’m talking about practicing loving-kindness because I believe that it is important to train ourselves to become more loving and kind. Studies show that we can learn to be more altruistic, more kind, and more loving. And I would like to live in a kinder, gentler world.

I can think of no better way to change the world than to increase the amount of light, love, and kindness that people feel for themselves and one another.

I am genuinely concerned about the polarization and demonization that I see occurring in our country.

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi

I don’t know how to change the public discourse, but I do know that I can work on changing myself to be more loving, kind, and compassionate.

Is it time to include loving-kindness practice in your life?

May you walk in beauty.