FIND THE LOVE THAT YOU CRAVEATTRACT MORE LOVE AND GAIN INNER PEACE Would you like to attract more love and gain inner peace? Increase love in your life by giving it. That’s right it is possible to turn around a confrontational situation or the negative actions of others by meditating and sending love to the unlovable. Being in the state of love will bring the inner peace that many people declare that they want, but few actually attain. Experiencing anger and/or retaliation from someone close to you or a complete stranger for that matter is never about you. People come from varied backgrounds and experience life in different ways. The reality that we create fits with the perceptions that we hold about ourselves, others and events. The way that we perceive treatment from others can create emotional pain based on our biased perceptions. The way that we respond to the perceived hurtful treatment of others is the power in which you can attract more love or hateful retaliation that often times comes with it. PRACTICE: THE FOUR LIMITLESS QUALITIES OF LOVE I have extracted these concepts from Richard Rohr’s daily meditation of August 24,2018. If you are searching for new ways of meditation, this could be a good fit for you. Buddhism identifies Four Limitless Qualities; loving kindness (maître), compassion, joy, and equanimity. Loving kindness and compassion may appear to be the same, but there are subtle differences. In Buddhism, compassion includes a willingness to identify so fully with someone that you would be willing to carry a little of their suffering. Equanimity may be close to what we Christians mean by peace. These four qualities are limitless in that they increase with practice and use. If you don’t choose and deliberately to practice loving kindness, it is unlikely that a year from now you will be any more loving. The qualities are also limitless because they are already within you- which beautifully parallels Christian theology of the Holy Spirit. There is a place in you that is already kind, compassionate, joyful, and Equanimeous. THE 7 LEVELS OF LOVE LEVEL 1. Recognize the place of loving kindness inside yourself. It is there. Honor it, awaken it, and actively draw upon it. LEVEL 2. Drawing upon the source of loving kindness within, bring to mind someone for whom you feel sincere goodwill and tenderness, someone you love very much. From your source, send loving kindness toward this person and bless them. LEVEL 3. Awaken loving kindness for someone who is a casual friend or associate- someone you admire or appreciate. Send love to that individual. LEVEL 4. Now send loving kindness to someone about whom you feel neutral or indifferent- for example, a gas station attendant or cashier. Send your blessings to this person. The last 3 levels are where true growth and a higher level of enlightenment occur. Putting into practice the first 4 levels will raise you to new perceptions and get you started on the path to a happy life. LEVEL 5. Think of someone who hurt you, who has talked evil of you, whom you find it difficult to like or you don’t enjoy being around. Bless them; send this would-be enemy your love. LEVEL 6. Bring all of the first five individuals into the stream of flowing love, including yourself. Hold them here for a few moments. When bad feelings about a particular person come to mind repeat the process. LEVEL 7. Finally, extend this love to embrace all beings in the universe. It is one love toward ALL, regardless of religion, race, culture, or lovability. I know that it isn’t easy to love the unlovable, but when I put these levels of loving blessings into practice, it changed my life. This practice can help you know-in your mind heart, and body- that love is not determined by the worthiness of the object. Love is determined by the giver of the love. Spiritual gifts increase with use. Love, compassion, joy, and Equanimity will grow as you let them flow. You are simply an instrument, a conduit for the inflow and outflow of the spirit. RECALIBRATE >> RESTART >> THRIVE |
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