2008-11-20

The Gift Of Loving Kindness

Hi Everyone,
I hope you are all doing well, I am doing good. Last week when I was working with Nathaniel, he is Autistic and lives at New England Villages. I hate to even say I was working because we have a friendship, and he knows I care for him as he is, and he shows his appreciation of my unconditional love. You would adore him. Anyway I took him to Borders book store because he loves to look at the Maps and Travel books, they take him where he cannot go. When I walked passed the Spirituality section a certain book stood out to me. I did not have much time to read it, I just felt compulsed to buy it. Then when I got home and looked into the book further, I realized it is just what I need to read and share with everyone. It is a guide for us on a spiritual journey to reach true enlightenment. It emphasizes that we need to take time out and be silent or meditate to learn to really love and forgive and have compassion towards ourselves first. If we do not have that for ourselves we cannot truly give it to others. I am going to put in what the Author tells us about it and when I get reading it I will share more with everyone. I think we can all learn alot from this book.
Thanks for visiting my blog,
Take Care,
Janet :)
Loving-kindness, the English translation of the Pali word metta, is defined as "unconditional well-wishing and openhearted nurturing of ourselves and others, just as we are." By practicing loving-kindness, you can learn to treat yourself and others--even strangers--like dear friends, putting aside criticism and judgment and choosing instead to open your heart to greater generosity, forgiveness, and compassion. While Buddha taught loving-kindness meditation as an antidote to fear, it can also quiet feelings of anger, judgment, and worry by helping you see the innate goodness within yourself and others. Whether used as part of a formal meditation practice or as daily mindfulness exercises, the 100 meditations in this book make it easy to open your heart and share the seeds of loving-kindness with others. "The Gift of Loving-Kindness skillfully guides us to train our minds and hearts in the practice of loving-kindness meditation. The meditative exercises in this book can spark one's journey into greater love and compassion or enrich it anywhere along the path. Combining internal reflection and mindful exploration of our heart's capacity, these pragmatic exercises open us to genuine transformation."

Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness.
A Review on Amazon. com says, Although the introduction and explanatory pages mention Buddha a few times, the book is not religious and could be enjoyed by anyone of any faith.

5 comments:

  1. Janet,
    Is the title of the book Loving Kindness? I wasn't sure?

    I am so happy to hear that you spend time with Nathaniel, and I am sure he adores you!

    Kat

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  2. Dear Janet,

    What a truly lovely post. I am deeply touched by your time with with Nathaniel, but more touched by the fact the you are able to cross the "professional border" (that so many professional never can cross) and walk into the land of your humanity and Nathaniel's humanity by acknowledging the friendship, the human bond of two spirits. That allows for so much more healing if not of the Autism then of the spirit, both his and yours. By healing I don't mean that either of you are sick: lol. I mean the healing or soothing that we all seek and can give and receive from each other and the Earth. It's really what we are all about, moving ever closer to our Creator, going home. Thank you for living from your heart. It won't ever let you down. And you have a truly beautiful shining heart.

    Hugs,
    Robin

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  3. Yes Janet! and it is so close to the book that was pushed through my letterbox

    I guess we're going on the same pathway

    the pathless path.

    xh

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  4. What a great post Janet, I even cried, I am just an emotional mess right now anyways. God bless you sweetie and have a wonderful weekend. We are covered in snow here and I have my granddaughter this weekend so I am a busy bee this weekend, lol!

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  5. I love the new look Janet! :)

    xh

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