This morning as I sat to do my practice, I had the thought about practicing loving kindness towards the self and what if we did not have images of friends and loved ones expressing their love towards us to validate love of the self?
How would we have an image of love for the self without being able to picture the smiling faces and hugs and kisses from our spouses, children and friends? What if what if we were alone, if we did not have friends, what would be the focus, and how we get our intention on loving the self at the beginning of our loving kindness practice?
I think this is an important point to examine, because love of the self, I believe, has to come from within. Each of us needs to see that there is goodness inside of us, kindness, and limitless boundless love.
This is a new realization for me, because in the past I’ve always used loved ones as my initial basis for loving kindness meditation. And when I begin thinking that I should be well happy and peaceful, visions of my family and the love they have for me are my validation.
Friends and Family and their love for me, are what make me feel that I am a loving person.
I think this is a delusion on my part because I became aware, during my practice this morning, that this is in fact my true nature. Being loving, kind and compassionate. I have this with or without my loved ones that I picture, not because of them. If I were alone in the world, I know that my heart and my mind would be driven to show compassion and love to others. I know that I would want to find some way to touch and affect other people in a positive way, to show kindness, even if it was only with words and actions. Even if I did not have the financial resources to do anything to benefit other people. And I think herein lies the key. Intention of our hearts and our minds, that is where our love comes from. Its flows from what we have within ourselves, and that each of us have a powerful ability to share our love with the World.
I hope that I may continue to grow the love of myself, as I know this will only help me to become of benefit to more people and all other beings.
I hope that today you will take sometime to love yourself as well.
And may you be well, happy and peaceful.
