Loving Kindness

Hello all, hope this finds you well.  This is the first of our listening exercises that made me uncomfortable.  I had a hard time initially thinking of someone in my life that has a dark cloud.  Then it hit me like a ton of bricks...my brother who lives in a nursing home after suffering a massive stroke over 4 years ago.  There is alot of history leading up to his stroke as well as why I had written him off.  After listening to the loving  kindness practice I felt sad.  Sad, because though my brother has done some pretty bad things in his life...he still lives as a prisoner in his own body and I have not given him the time of day in over 4 years.  So, I obviously have much work to do in this department. 

I would absolutely recommend this to people.  In just one listen it made me realize something that I had pushed deep down.  I had written off the one person who really and truly needs loving kindness.  Imagine what I might discover after many more practices.  So, others could benefit as well.

A mental work out is much like a physical one.  A mental work out trains the mind to a new and better way of thinking.  Research as shown that we can become healthier when we practice mental fitness.  It allows us to act on our feelings and emotions rather than react to them...simply put...we are in control.  When we are in control of our mind then we have a greater capacity to open ourselves up to the needs of others.

I plan on doing more simple acts of kindness.  If, I can make one stranger smile in a day, it will be a step in the right direction.  I also plan on listening to the loving  kindness mp3 twice a day for one week as suggested.  I think it will really help me to focus on being more thoughtful of others. 

Rose