What Can I Do to Help?

If the latest school shooting has left you feeling stunned, helpless and frightened for our children and our future, you are not alone. I’m feeling that way as well. After each of these tragedies, people ask what they can do. Leaving politics aside, I believe there is something we can do to take action on a personal level and spread peace and healing to others. It’s Loving Kindness Meditation (also known as Metta Meditation), and I believe it can bring some peace to ourselves and the world.

Loving Kindness Meditation is simple and takes only a few minutes a day. We first direct it to ourselves then move on to someone we love, to someone neutral, to someone with whom we struggle, and finally to all beings. A traditional Loving Kindness Meditation goes something like this (first column recited in its entirety, a few times, if you want; then continue on with the second column and do the same):

Loving Kindness Meditation can also be adapted to reflect your own needs and desires or that of a person or specific group. There are no strict rules other than starting with ourselves each time and then moving on to others. I came up with one that I think befits the most recent tragedy.

Studies show that the Loving Kindness Meditation has many positive effects for the practitioner. I also believe it puts healing energy out to the world which benefits everyone.

To learn more about this Loving Kindness Meditation, use this link: https://www.mettainstitute.org/mettameditation.html
Peace