More from the mental health haiku project.
Todays reflection is the power of prayer or Metta practice.
Growing up in church schools I found nothing more frustrating than the soulless prayer by rote these institutions tried to apply to me.
There was a complete absence of teaching the significance of a heartfelt and humble inquiring practice, wishing well for others and seeking intuitive guidance for our own betterment.
Resistance and outright rejection of the idea was all but assured...
Fortunately I have since allowed myself to revisit these concepts through mindfulness and psychological studies and can now appreciate the significance of these practices when applied with proper aim.
Metta is a simple, though not always easy, practice of wishing positive outcomes for others and for yourself. This is not about self centredness but about genuine compassion and kindness in the service of love. When we do this we are better able to let go of selfish and destructive tendencies and find a better internal platform to stand on to truly help ourselves and those we care about.
It sounds gooey and hippy-ish but it really does work.
Want to improve your relationships or lower your blood pressure?
Give this a go and let me know how you get on.
Comments