Sunday, February 14, 2010

Loving-Kindness

Valentine's Day is a nice enough "holiday."  In many ways it's a successful commercial promotion for selling flowers, candy and cards.  Good old capitalism at its finest.  Unfortunately, it also seems to be an event that makes single people feel sad or lonely.  In other words, it's not DEEP.  (This is not to say that I don't appreciate the 6 red roses I got for Valentine's Day because I do!)

Loving-Kindness is a meditation practice taught by the Buddha 2500 years ago to develop the habit of self-less love.  Often our Western form of love has a hidden agenda, "What's in it for me?  If I love you, then you must....(fill in the blank)."  Loving-kindness promotes friendliness, compassion, joy and equanimity.  It's easy to practice with people you already love and respect, the challenge arises when it's someone that you feel hostile or angry towards.  It's even encouraged to practice this towards oneself.

There are plenty of ways to get information on lovingkindness. What would we do without google?  There are books, tapes, and websites full of knowledge about this practice.  What I like about it is that it is something for every day that promotes peace of mind and well-being.  Anyone can practice it, you don't have to be a Buddhist to try.

What I really want for our world is more peace and self-less love.



May you be free from danger.
May you have mental happiness.
May you have physical happiness.
May you have ease of well-being.

Hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day every day!


6 comments:

Sylvia K said...

I want to thank you for your post today and I have gone to good old Google and found a guided meditation on Loving-Kindness. I feel exactly as you do and I really don't have many really bad days anymore, but every now and then one swoops down on me and I find myself angry, frustrated and sad for no real reason and needless to say that's not my usual state of mind. And this was just what I needed to hear/find today. Another one of the joys of blogging! Thanks, Loran! May you have a beautiful day!

Sylvia

Barb said...

Thank you for your loving kindness blessings, Loren. They're a good reminder that peace must start in our minds before it can flow outward.

Anonymous said...

Honestly, this day is not unlike every other day. The only difference I see is the small children seem to have fun making valentines.♥

Janie said...

Happy Valentine's Day to you, too! More peace and self-less love is a great wish for our world.

Louise said...

I think selfless love would bring peace. It would bring a lot of good things.

Gaelyn said...

I'm with you on selfless-love Loran. Thanks for the reminder. Think I better go follow Sylvia's Google for the meditation. I could really use that after a day of sniveling with a head cold that I believe stress is taking to my lungs.

Happy Valentine's Day to you, everyday of the year.