How Blessed Am I

Hi Everyone,
I hope you are doing well, I am doing good. Now that spring has arrived, I feel a sense of wanting to renew myself as everything else around me is. So I wrote a little poem about how I am feeling. Hope you like it.
Thanks for visiting my blog today.
Take Care,
Janet :)

How Blessed Am I

How blessed an I to be alive,
with you by my side.
I am so blessed to have my
health, no need for
wealth.

How blessed am I to loved
the ones who have traveled on
to the other side
They are my Angels and
my guides.

How blessed am I to feel
the sun rays on my face,
Each time pain will be
erased.

How blessed am I
to look at the stars
at night.
Their light embraces
me and there is no need
for fright.

How blessed am I
that I have friends like
you. No price could
be placed on jewels so true

How Blessed am I
to walk through the waves
as the sun enters another
phase

How blessed am I
to feel the breeze
of a willow tree
My spirit is renewed,
My light shines through

How blessed are we
to be a part of life's journey.
Each day, feel, embrace,
walk or run like you have
just begun. Blessings will
follow one by one.

Engulfed by Grief

Hi Everyone,
I hope you are all doing well. I am doing pretty good. A week ago today I attended a memorial service for my neighbor Hedi. Hedi was only 37 years old. Last October she went to the hospital for a pain in her chest. It wound up being linked to a few brain tumors. When they discovered this it was already to late. She left behind a son who is only 11 years old and her husband. I have been overwhelmed in the past two years with death and disease all around me, my best friend Sue gone at 59yrs old, Wendy 52yrs old, My mother and mother in law 5 months apart and just a couple of weeks ago two people I cared for at the village only two days apart only 31 and 59. Being a spiritual person I am trying to figure out what this is teaching me. I usually think it is teaching me how precious life is, but I already know that. Is it to teach me to take better care of myself??? I am already working on that. There must be something else, some lesson that will come out of all this grief and loss. I know as you get older you begin to lose more people in your life. In this case though alot of them were too young. Whatever the lesson though it is a hard learned one.
Thanks for visiting my blog today.
Janet :)

Final Instructions on Formal Loving Kindness

Hi Everyone,
I hope you are all doing well. I am doing good. I want to share the rest of the formal loving-kindness meditation with you today. The next practice with be the informal meditation. I hope you find something in this meditation that helps you in your daily life. I am using it to help with the healing process.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
Take Care,
Janet :)

If you didn't start to feel kindness to yourself in the beginning of the formal meditation. Your not doing it wrong. Let yourself reflect on a wish to be happy and peaceful. If you still don't feel it, remember that the old mind habits take time to change. Think of it as a opportunity to practice patience toward yourself without judgment or guilt. You can always come back to yourself as often as you like.
After a period of time, let go of yourself and shift the focus to a loved one. For example think of a family member, good friend possibly a mentor or someone who has treated you with kindness and generosity. Someone who has inspired or enriched your life. This should be someone that you can easily extend friendliness and kindness.
Use the phrases from my earlier post or create your own phrases, just replace the I with your loved ones name. Visualize their face as you say the phrases and allow good wishes, kindness and warm feelings in you to flow to this person, wishing them well wherever they are in the world. For example May Sue be healthy, May Sue be happy, May Sue be peaceful, May Sue be safe. After this deep connection with your loved one shift your attention towards a person you feel neutral about, someone you do not know well. Repeat the same phrases. Your gift of wishing kindness is anonymous and offered freely. Your kindness may do a stranger good. Next shift your focus on a difficult person. This is someone you have conflict with, someone you judge or resent. Repeat the phrases again. If opening your heart to someone you don't like seems to challenging, simply return your attention to yourself. The last focus is to shift your attention and repeat the phrases to the rest of the world. To all people, animals, plants, the earth, and all living things. Think of people in other countries who may be in need of loving-kindness. As you extend the feelings of friendship, caring and kindness to all individuals and all forms of life, a sense of boundlessness may arise in you. Recognize and enjoy that feeling.
When you're ready to end your formal practice, bring attention back to yourself. Take a few deep breaths. Gently begin to move your body. You might want to wiggle your fingers and toes. If you have warm feelings inside, just rest with those for a moment. End your practice bye opening your eyes and then, when you're ready, move out of your meditation position. Let the expansiveness and compassion you experienced during meditation follow you throughout your day.