Using Blessings for Love and Forgiveness

Love shows up in unexpected places and some times takes unrecognizable forms.  

I think of the parent who nags their child to clean their room, do their homework, or take a shower.  Nagging doesn't look a lot like love but love is definitely working behind the scenes.  The parent wants good for their child but the love gets covered up by the fear that the child will not grow up learning responsibility.

Or what about the romantic partner who turns away during times of high stress.  This can be experienced like neglect or lack of concern, like "you don't care/don't love me", like "I can't rely on you".  Maybe it is.  But what if it meant "I care so much that I can't handle seeing you hurt", or "I don't know what to do but I don't want to fight, fighting makes it worse."

A Course in Miracles teaches us that love is everywhere, all the time, but we don't always see it due to our fears.  Fear is powerful and can easily win a contest for the most attention when it is positioned next to love.

Unfortunately, opening up to receiving love's sweet elixir puts us in a vulnerable spot.  We might get hurt.  If we have been hurt by love, and who hasn't, then we act to protect ourselves by not getting involved...more famously known as putting up walls.  Invisible walls that work to keep the hurt out and sadly the love too.

One way to safely connect with the love around us is by consciously applying blessings to ourselves and others.  Like suave for the soul, we can silently and liberally send positive wishes for our own well-being and the well-being of others.  It is a no risk operation that allows us to unite with our own sense of good, which benefits us and every other person we come into contact with.

Blessings are not attached to any one philosophy or religion.  They are simply an act of kindness.  We are sending a blessing when we wish well for others.  They can be general or specific.  Start by sending yourself blessings first.  Simply say (silently or out loud) with heartfelt intention:

May I be healthy.

May I be happy.

May I be safe.

May I be at ease.

Send the same blessings to a loved one.  As you hold them in your mind, say:

May you be healthy.

May you be happy.

May you be safe.

May you be at ease.

We can even do it with neutral people, people we don't really know, or people who we struggle with but this can be challenging.  There are no prizes so let's all check our noble and virtuous intentions at the door.  We are already good and truly don't need to prove anything here.  We send blessings as a way to be conscious of love, care, concern for ourselves and others.  This practice works to expand the love we see and feel in our lives.

If you want more information click here to go to a written meditation on lovingkindness by Jack Kornfield.


 
Thanks for taking the time to read:)
Love and light to you.