At the Ten Stages we recognise that meditation uses words, images, and feelings to evoke a lovingkindness and friendliness toward oneself and others is the healing balm of our practice.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XnExRw6_nHkBKxTeoCRV9Mrg0TOoJD9iMgRtPslrPFmRAxXN02P4xBcA2XV1zP0wpNmBVJrU3nWEMkBi15qCn8yI9Un9s25c3a4i4IDHZfMRMMph1HytKbwpFoOKekfuVrGNAqx6l4Q/s1600/1-1-going-marseille600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XnExRw6_nHkBKxTeoCRV9Mrg0TOoJD9iMgRtPslrPFmRAxXN02P4xBcA2XV1zP0wpNmBVJrU3nWEMkBi15qCn8yI9Un9s25c3a4i4IDHZfMRMMph1HytKbwpFoOKekfuVrGNAqx6l4Q/s320/1-1-going-marseille600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /><br />At the Ten Stages we recognise that meditation uses words, images, and feelings to evoke a lovingkindness and friendliness toward oneself and others is the healing balm of our practice.<br /><br />With each recitation of the phrases, we are expressing an intention, planting the seeds of loving wishes over and over in our heart.<br /><br />With a loving heart as the background, all that we attempt, all that we encounter will open and flow easily.<br /><br />You can begin the practice of lovingkindness by meditating for fifteen or twenty minutes in a quiet place. Let yourself sit in a comfortable fashion. Let your body rest and be relaxed. Let your heart be soft. Let go of any plans and preoccupations.<br /><br />Begin with yourself. Breathe gently, and recite inwardly the following traditional phrases directed to your own well-being. You begin with yourself because without loving yourself it is almost impossible to love others.<br /><br />May I be filled with lovingkindness.<br /><br />May I be safe from inner and outer dangers.<br /><br />May I be well in body and mind.<br /><br />May I be at ease and happy.<br /><br />As you repeat these phrases, picture yourself as your are now, and hold that image in a heart of lovingkindness. Or perhaps you will find it easier to picture yourself as a young and beloved child. Adjust the words and images in any way you wish. Create the exact phrases that best open your heart of kindness. Repeat these phrases over and over again, letting the feelings permeate your body and mind. Practice this meditation for a number of weeks, until the sense of lovingkindness for yourself grows.<br /><br />Be aware that this meditation may at times feel mechanical or awkward. It can also bring up feelings contrary to lovingkindness, feelings of irritation and anger. If this happens, it is especially important to be patient and kind toward yourself, allowing whatever arises to be received in a spirit of friendliness and kind affection.<br /><br />When you feel you have established some stronger sense of lovingkindness for yourself, you can then expand your meditation to include others. After focusing on yourself for five or ten minutes, choose a benefactor, someone in your life who has loved or truly cared for you. Picture this person and carefully recite the same phrases:<br /><br />May you be filled with lovingkindness.<br /><br />May you be safe from inner and outer dangers.<br /><br />May you be well in body and mind.<br /><br />May you be at ease and happy.<br /><br />Let the image and feelings you have for your benefactor support the meditation. Whether the image or feelings are clear or not does not matter. In meditation they will be subject to change. Simply continue to plant the seeds of loving wishes, repeating the phrases gently no matter what arises.<br /><br />Expressing gratitude to our benefactors is a natural form of love. In fact, some people find lovingkindness for themselves so hard, they begin their practice with a benefactor. This too is fine. The rule in lovingkindness practice is to follow the way that most easily opens your heart.</span><br /> <div> <br /></div> <div class="zemanta-related" style="clear: both; margin-top: 20px; overflow: hidden;"> <h4 class="zemanta-related-title"> Related articles</h4> <ul class="zemanta-article-ul zemanta-article-ul-image" style="margin: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0;"> <li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://stagesevents.blogspot.com/2015/05/how-do-i-meditate-in-stages.html" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="//i.zemanta.com/343975727_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://stagesevents.blogspot.com/2015/05/how-do-i-meditate-in-stages.html" style="background-image: none; display: block; height: 83px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">How Do I Meditate in Stages?</a></li> <li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://stagesevents.blogspot.com/2015/07/meditation-calms-our-nervous-systems.html" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="//i.zemanta.com/355155371_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://stagesevents.blogspot.com/2015/07/meditation-calms-our-nervous-systems.html" style="background-image: none; display: block; height: 83px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Meditation calms our nervous systems</a></li> <li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://stagesevents.blogspot.com/2015/06/gatzo-co-meditation.html" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="//i.zemanta.com/346726047_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://stagesevents.blogspot.com/2015/06/gatzo-co-meditation.html" style="background-image: none; display: block; height: 83px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">GATZO co-meditation</a></li> <li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://socialpsychologists.blogspot.com/2015/07/when-we-become-aware-that-weve.html" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="//i.zemanta.com/350624860_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://socialpsychologists.blogspot.com/2015/07/when-we-become-aware-that-weve.html" style="background-image: none; display: block; height: 83px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">When we become aware that we've forgotten the wounded child within ourselves</a></li> <li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://socialpsychologists.blogspot.com/2015/07/anger-is-not-enemy-at-stages.html" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="//i.zemanta.com/350624820_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://socialpsychologists.blogspot.com/2015/07/anger-is-not-enemy-at-stages.html" style="background-image: none; display: block; height: 83px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Anger is not an enemy at the stages.</a></li> <li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="background: none; display: block; float: left; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 2px 10px 10px 2px; padding: 0; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 84px;"><a href="http://socialpsychologists.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-stages-meditation-of-deep-silence.html" style="border-radius: 2px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 4px #999; display: block; padding: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="//i.zemanta.com/351951836_80_80.jpg" style="border: 0; display: block; margin: 0; max-width: 100%; padding: 0; width: 80px;" /></a><a href="http://socialpsychologists.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-stages-meditation-of-deep-silence.html" style="background-image: none; display: block; height: 83px; line-height: 12pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 2px 0 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Stages Meditation of deep silence</a></li> </ul> </div>

At the Ten Stages we recognise that meditation uses words, images, and feelings to evoke a lovingkindness and friendliness toward oneself and others is the healing balm of our practice.

At the Ten Stages we recognise that meditation uses words, images, and feelings to evoke a lovingkindness and friendliness toward oneself ...

Read more »