Loving Kindness Meditation

An episode of the Behind the Scenes of Happiness podcast, hosted by Christoph Spiessens, titled "Loving Kindness Meditation" was published on March 8, 2020 and runs 8 minutes.

March 8, 2020 ·8m · Behind the Scenes of Happiness

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Summary

The Loving Kindness Meditation is one of the core mindfulness practices in the MBSR programme, created by Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn, who brought mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) into the mainstream of medicine and society. This meditation calls our attention specifically to encouraging the growth of compassion, both for ourselves, others and the world at large. It is especially helpful to those who may have a harsh inner critic or low self-esteem. We are setting an intention to nurture the quality of loving kindness that already exists within us, while being with whatever is present in the senses, thought, or emotions, without judgement. Another helpful meditation on your Mindfulness journey. A few notes: It can be helpful to choose a pet or person whom you admire for being kind or loving in general should you have considerable difficulty in bringing to mind a person who has loved or supported you. It’s advisable to choose “the person with whom you have difficulty,” before the meditation and to ensure the difficulty is minor, as other issues might require therapy before engaging in the healing process. Although this meditation is very beneficial therapeutically and for people in general, it’s not recommended to listen to this recording if you are in a state of acute depression. Please, DO NOT listen to any of this recording whilst driving or operating machinery, or when you need full attention on something else. If you feel uncomfortable with closing your eyes, you can lower your gaze or alternatively pick a spot on the wall, on which to maintain your focused attention. If you feel uncomfortable in any way during the meditation it is advisable to stop the practice and consider trying again another time. Just like my other Mindfulness Meditations, this recording has no background music. The purpose of this practice is not to “escape” to some imaginary world, but to learn how to bring your awareness back to the present moment. The repeating set of phrases in this recording are some of many possible phrases that can be used. If any part of the approach or of the four central phrases do not suit you, feel free to make any changes that make it more friendly or appealing to you.

Episode Description

This meditation calls our attention specifically to encouraging the growth of compassion, both for ourselves, others and the world at large.

It is especially helpful to those who may have a harsh inner critic or low self-esteem.

We are setting an intention to nurture the quality of loving kindness that already exists within us, while being with whatever is present in the senses, thought, or emotions, without judgement.

Another helpful meditation on your Mindfulness journey.

A few notes:

It can be helpful to choose a pet or person whom you admire for being kind or loving in general should you have considerable difficulty in bringing to mind a person who has loved or supported you.

It’s advisable to choose “the person with whom you have difficulty,” before the meditation and to ensure the difficulty is minor, as other issues might require therapy before engaging in the healing process.

Although this meditation is very beneficial therapeutically and for people in general, it’s not recommended to listen to this recording if you are in a state of acute depression.

Please, DO NOT listen to any of this recording whilst driving or operating machinery, or when you need full attention on something else. If you feel uncomfortable with closing your eyes, you can lower your gaze or alternatively pick a spot on the wall, on which to maintain your focused attention. If you feel uncomfortable in any way during the meditation it is advisable to stop the practice and consider trying again another time.

Just like my other Mindfulness Meditations, this recording has no background music. The purpose of this practice is not to “escape” to some imaginary world, but to learn how to bring your awareness back to the present moment.

The repeating set of phrases in this recording are some of many possible phrases that can be used. If any part of the approach or of the four central phrases do not suit you, feel free to make any changes that make it more friendly or appealing to you.