We live in a very demanding society and that puts people under unnecessary stress in their lives. Because of this, people can put more demands on themselves and put pressure on themselves. This happens without many of us even realizing it. The first step in being able to stop putting so much pressure on yourself and to ease your emotional load is to realize when you may be doing the most complicated things without it being really necessary. Loving-kindness meditation can be your way out of these undue stresses and pressures.

Loving-kindness meditation is one of the most popular meditation techniques, and for good reason. Those who regularly practice loving-kindness meditation can increase their capacity for forgiveness, connection with others, self-acceptance, and much more. The stress relief aspects of this meditation are strong too.  Not bad for a technique that is easy to practice and can make you feel happier in just a few minutes.

The benevolent energy of your being

The basic point of loving-kindness meditation is to focus the benevolent and loving energy towards oneself and towards others. The benefits of loving-kindness meditation are clear: practitioners experience all the regular benefits of meditation as well as the warm feelings of loving-kindness, which brings its own benefits. The following is a simple and effective loving-kindness meditation technique to try today.

How to practice this meditation step by step

First you should take some quiet time for yourself, it doesn’t have to be too much, just a few minutes will be more than enough. You have to be sitting in a comfortable position. Then close your eyes, relax your muscles, and take a few deep breaths, as many times as you deem necessary.

Then you will have to imagine yourself experiencing complete physical and emotional well-being that leads to inner peace. Imagine feeling the perfect love for yourself, thanking you for who you are, knowing that you are right, that you are perfect like that, just the way you are. Focus on that feeling of inner peace and visualize that you breathe in the tension and breathe it out, pulling it out of yourself. Then breathe and leave all the feelings of love within you. Breathe in love, breathe out tension.

Repeat three or four phrases or mantras that are positive for you and that calm your mind. There are many that can work for you, you just have to find the ones that connect with you the most. As an example, you can start with some like the following:

• • I’m happy

• • I am safe

• • I am healthy, peaceful and strong

• I give and receive appreciation

Once you have reached this point, enjoy the feeling that you have within you for a few moments. Your attention may be diverted to something else, but allow those thoughts to pass through your mind and return to those feelings of peace that flood you. Allow that emotion to envelop you.

You can choose to stay with this concentration during the medication or to change your concentration towards your loved ones. You can start by thinking of someone you feel very close to like your partner, a child, your father or mother or even a good friend. Feel gratitude and love for these people and stay with that feeling. You can repeat some of these phrases to produce within yourself a feeling of goodness:

• • I want you to be happy

• • I want you to be safe

• • I want you to be healthy and strong

• I want to give you my appreciation

When you have felt this for that person, visualize their image to feel more well-being and inner peace. You can do this with as many people as you want, and even do it towards groups of people. When you have finished the meditation (whenever you want) open your eyes and remember that you can re-experience this feeling whenever you want during the day. Memorize the emotion you had during the loving-kindness meditation and review that feeling with deep breaths and focusing on it at any time of the day.