Do you recall a time when you took on a new challenge or went through a difficult period in your life and there were people who rooted for your success? They rooted for you because they supported you and wanted you to be happy. Didn\u2019t it feel great to have that support? Maybe the result didn\u2019t matter as much as knowing that someone was in your corner wishing for your success and happiness.<\/p>\n
You have probably also been the one rooting for someone else\u2014a friend, a family member or a sports team you cared about. We have all been in the position of both sender and receiver of goodwill.<\/p>\n
The practice of loving-kindness is just like that\u2014being both sender and receiver of goodwill. It\u2019s a practice we\u2019re already familiar with. We are sending love, support and well-wishes to ourselves and others. Research shows that loving-kindness meditation has tremendous benefits, from improving our physical and mental well-being to improving our social and emotional health. \u00a0<\/p>\n
In this video, Dr. David Kearney from the Puget Sound VA guides us through a 22-minute loving-kindness meditation practice. We begin by settling into this moment, connecting with our body and breath, then turning to the simple practice of sending loving kindness to ourselves and others. By sending positive intentions of safety, health and happiness for ourselves and all beings, we open our hearts to the currents of life, allowing the breath of life to flow through us.<\/p>\n