 I was thinking about compassion, or loving-kindness meditations this weekend. Research shows that practicing this type of meditation, whether directed towards others, self, or both, can do all sorts of amazing things: increase wellbeing, decrease migraines, even increase gray matter volume in the brain. You can find all kinds of resources and practices with a quick search.
Many of you will find being compassionate towards other people, at least people you know and care about, much more comfortable than towards yourself. I know I do - I am big-time tough on me, and this type of practice felt strange at first (I'm getting better). Yet, I know how sad I feel when I witness clients being so hard on themselves about the way they manage their surroundings. Negativity can be captivatingly easy, and in my experience, it has never helped anyone be consistently successful. So I modified the loving-kindness meditation idea a bit and created one specific to bringing more organization into life. You can use either "you", or "I", in the statements, or repeat once with each. Here goes: Find yourself a quiet spot, settle into a comfortable position (laying down is okay), and take a few breaths in and out of the nose. You could either pre-record the following statements or read them to yourself. Take your time in between the words, and maybe a little time at the end. May you (I) have order. May you (I) have peace in your (my) space. May you be free from the excess that weighs you down. May you let go. May you know when it's good to say, "No." May the stuff that you keep support you. May you pause before you agree. May you experience confidence in your decisions. May you not have to rush. May you have clarity about what's important. May you care for what's important. May you have order. How did that feel? Calming, uncomfortable, weird, self-indulgent? Maybe you got sleepy? I think all of that is okay. If you give it a shot for a few days, I'd love to know what you think, or what you notice. And from me, may you be well.
7 Comments
1/11/2021 12:10:43 pm
Sara- Your suggestions for a "organizing" loving-kindness meditation are beautiful. I love all of the phrases you chose. I know what you mean about the awkwardness of loving-kindness meditation. I have practiced those, but they aren't the ones I practice with the most. However, there is no question that they hold power both for ourselves and for people around us- those we know and don't know.
Sara
1/11/2021 01:04:56 pm
Hi Linda - it's one of my intentions this year to incorporate more self-compassion meditations into my practice, and see where those take me. It's always a journey. Thanks for the comment! 1/11/2021 06:54:43 pm
Wonderful idea, Sara. I have trouble remembering more than a few words in a meditation so I could see choosing a different sentence each time I sit and making that my mantra for the day.
Sara
1/11/2021 07:07:11 pm
What a great way to modify it in a way that works for you! If you give it a try, maybe let me know how it goes. Thanks for stopping by Lucy! I think it's interesting that positive thoughts contribute to grey matter volume in your brain! We are all our own worst critics, that's for sure. I like how you try to consider yourself they way you would view a client. It makes so much sense to be kind to ourselves in the same way. 1/13/2021 11:25:00 am
I have to admit, meditation and I are not pals. (Meditation tries, but I rebuff all of its friendly advances.) However, this is an excellent approach, and I can see how it would yield more self-compassion. Thanks for being such a good role model.
Sara
1/15/2021 10:18:54 am
Ah, sometime I should get you to join me for a meditation retreat. :) I think most everyone can make friends with it! Leave a Reply. |
AuthorSara Skillen - Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Organizer Coach®, wife, mom, dog-lover, author. Learning to trust my intuition more every day. Shall we work together? Archives
January 2021
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