Meditation is Health and Fitness for your Mind

By Skye Schneider

Love is a Healing Energy 

I saw the news of the shooting this weekend in Orlando, Florida. I watched the news on TV only a few minutes, and shut the television. I sent out Love in a quiet prayerful meditation, and then I let it go. I sent Love to the victims, their families, the survivors, those wounded, those killed, and also to the shooter.

"What? How can you send Love to the shooter?" I was asked. Because if I did not see him as someone to send love to, he would be someone to condemn. If I didn't send him love what would I send out to the Universe when thinking of him? Hate, anger, rage tword him for his act? Hate does not heal, it can not undo what he has done, hateful acts can not be fought with hate. The only thing that heals is love. The shooter could not have done this act if he were filled with love, so he may be the one who is most in need of receiving the energy of love.

What was more upsetting to me than the news story was the outcry of negative emotion and wrong-minded reaction to the news by so many people. To everyone who was in that nightclub, I send love; and to all those who heard this story and felt hurt, or anger, or hate, I send you healing Love too.

Bad News in the Media is Infecting our Minds and Attitudes.

  The ongoing over reporting of bad news by the media is not healthy. Experts agree the worst thing to do in this type of tragedy is to show the shooters photo, interview those who knew him, speculate his motive, and replay it in continuous loop...as the media attention actually whets the appetite for the next person of deranged mind who contemplates doing such an act.  However news is now a source of entertainment and we are perpetually overdosed with unhealthy information and biases.

While I chose not to watch the story replayed and retold on television news again this morning I did open my computer and look at social media. What I saw was evidence of the unhealthy doses of bad news in the media effecting the minds and attitudes of masses of people. Everyday folks are using this incident to incite angry political drama. Anger and hate tword the President, as well as presidential candidates, and lawmakers. Good and decent people are upset and frustrated; sending out hate and anger directed at immigrants, Religion and religious groups, cultures and nationalities as a whole.

This type of thinking is spreading like a virus through America, and can not be cured by more wrong thinking, The only cure for this 'virus' is Love and the compassion that comes with such unconditional love. The most effective way to cultivate the energy of Love is through Meditation.

Unhealthy Thinking Spreads Like a Virus

An unhealthy body does not operate at peak performance, and an unhealthy mind likewise does not function at its best. Much like a cold or flu virus can be caught by exposure to a person who is stricken by and spreading that virus, an unhealthy mind-set can be 'caught' by exposure to others who have unhealthy mental attitudes and unhealthy thinking will spread to even more people. 

Looking at America it is plain to see the rise of childhood obesity, diabetes, cancer, and other disease as well as a decline in fitness, healthy eating, portion control, exercise and other things that usually indicate good health. If Americans are becoming increasingly obese and lazy with their bodies what would it look like if we could peek inside of and rate the health of the American mind? Of course we can't take a peek inside everyone's mind, but looking at social media, and seeing the outpouring of anger and hate it's my guess that we are greatly influenced by unhealthy thinking. Bad news over reported in the media and the biases and prejudices we absorb from multiple sources and are spread like a virus across society. 

 Again the only 'cure' to this unhealthy thinking is Love and Compassion.

Meditation is Health and Fitness for the Mind

Before I had started practicing meditation I too would fall prey to the anguish of negative emotions and wrong thinking I adopted from outside myself and made my own. Days were spent wallowing in despair and anger over Sept. 11th, or the Columbine shooting or other similar events. Now I can acknowledge the event without forming an unhealthy emotional attachment to it, and be able to send out the energy of Love in prayer to all involved.  

Just as healthy eating habits and exercise are good for our bodies, Meditation is health and fitness for the mind. By practicing Meditation you will become more aware and mindful of your thoughts and emotional responses. With regular practice you will naturally cultivate patience, tolerance and compassion. By looking within true unconditional love can be understood and shared. 

There are as many forms of Meditation as there are exercise! An unfit person urged to start exercising may only picture exercise as running or jogging and say 'I don't want to start running it's too difficult, I get easily winded, I don't have running shoes, and it hurts my knees!' Their coach may respond 'Running is not the only exercise out there! How about a swim? How about lifting weights? How about yoga? How about a walk? There are things that won't get you too winded and things you don't need to buy expensive accessories to do.' Likewise, if a person avoids Meditation because they believe it is only for Monks who can sit cross-legged in Lotus Pose for an hour or more in a Holy space they are missing out on cultivating their mind! Meditation can be done sitting in your living room chair, walking through nature, eyes closed or open observing a candle flicker or a stream flowing. Meditation can happen is 5 minutes or much longer! 

We encourage and invite you to find a form of meditation your are comfortable with and practice regularly! We hope you find inner peace and calm.  

Please Join The Church of Meditation

for a group Meditation

using Meta-Kindness Practice

Directed at ALL those involved in or affected by 

The Orlando Nightclub Shooting

June 13 -17th once daily at 11:11 am or pm in your time zone.

this is a virtual event - 

Join us in a collective group meditation from wherever you are located! 

  All you need to bring is your intention.

   May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be safe. May you be at peace.

Meta Kindness Meditation

 

The Meta Kindness Meditation 

Meditation does not have to be lengthy or complicated!
In fact Meditation practice can be simple and quick.
One of my favorite meditations is the Meta (Metta) or Loving-Kindness Meditation. Simple, heartfelt, and quick; I often add this to my daily meditation practice, or at the conclusion of Yoga practice, or sometimes I do this simple Meditation alone if I find I don't have time for a longer session.

So what is Metta or Meta Kindness?

 Wikipedia defines Mettā or maitrī  is benevolence, friendliness, amity, friendship, good will, kindness, close mental union (on same mental wavelength), and active interest in others.  Mettā is love without the suffering that arises from attachment.
The cultivation of benevolence (mettā bhāvanā) is a popular form of meditation in Buddhism. In the Theravadin Buddhist tradition, this practice begins with the meditator cultivating benevolence towards themselves, then one's loved ones, friends, teachers, strangers, enemies, and finally towards all sentient beings.

Why Practice Meta Kindness? 

 The practice of loving kindness is an excellent tool for breaking down barriers and restoring the feeling of connectedness to humanity and it also aids you in feeling kindness when your mind feels like a battlefield. An added benefit is in training your mind to let go of stress more easily. When the mind is more calm and happy you find you can come up with beneficial solutions to challenges you may be facing.
 In the practice of Loving-Kindness meditation we can tame our emotions and develop the mind to being more compassionate and more wise.

Brief Instructions for Meta-Kindness Meditation:

To practice loving-kindness meditation, sit in a comfortable and relaxed manner. Take a few deep breaths with slow, long and complete exhalations. Let go of any concerns or preoccupations. For a moment, feel or imagine the breath moving through the heart center of your chest.
Metta is first practiced toward oneself, since we often have difficulty loving others without first loving ourselves. Sitting quietly, repeat these phrases to yourself either in your mind or aloud, sinking into their intention and heartfelt meaning, recite the following (or similar) phrases:
May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I be safe. May I be at peace. 


After a moment of directing loving-kindness toward yourself, bring to mind a friend, a child, a pet, or loved one. Then repeat the phrases of loving-kindness toward them:
May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be safe. May you be at peace. 

Continuing your meditation, you can bring to mind others who are not as close to you like neighbors, acquaintances, co-workers, or animals you encounter in your life. You may think of them individually or as a group. Again repeat the phrases of loving-kindness toward them:
May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be safe. May you be at peace.

Next think of people who you do not know. Strangers, all the people in cars on the highway, or people whom you've not met, or everyone on our planet. Again repeat the phrases of loving-kindness toward them:
May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be safe. May you be at peace.

Last think of people with whom you have difficulty. You can either use the same phrases, repeating them again and again, or make up phrases that better represent the loving-kindness you feel toward these people.
May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be safe. May you be at peace.

  

Final thoughts on Meta-Kindness:

Sometimes during loving-kindness meditation, seemingly opposite feelings such as anger, grief, or sadness may arise. Take these to be signs that your heart is softening, revealing what is held there. Remember that there is no need to judge yourself for having these feelings.

Using this Meditation can bring peace and ease to your daily life. It may be done in as few as 2 minutes or can take as long as you would like!  I hope this meditation practice fills you with feelings of benevolence and kindness.
But mostly:
  May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be safe. May you be at peace.

Please Join The Church of Meditation

for our first group Meditation

using Meta-Kindness Practice

on November 11th at 11:11 am and/or pm in your time zone.

this is a virtual event - join us in a collective group meditation from wherever you are located! 
All you need to bring is your intention.

Click here to join us on Facebook.