Loving Kindness Practice as a Protective Factor

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Loving kindness is a simple but powerful practice we infuse into our mindful practices. It can arise naturally as a response to the inevitable difficulties we all share as humans—suffering from illness, pain and loss; impermanence; and the impersonal nature of these things. But it is an important practice to cultivate loving states that can help us through difficulties. And, as it turns out, it can also be used as a protective factor, helping to lessen unnecessary suffering from arising in the first place.

Loving kindness develops out of our natural compassion and compassion is really just love’s way of responding to suffering. It is that welling up desire we have that moves us to help end the pain and suffering we witness; to help in some way.

This simple practice supports us entering into a relaxing and restorative state, lessening activity in the amygdala.

The practice of loving kindness stems from that welling up desire to stop the pain and prevent suffering, but it is more. Loving kindness is that natural wish and hope that we, ourselves, and our loved ones not only be free from illness, pain and difficulty, but that we and they experience an abundance of goodness that is available in life—love, joy, meaning, connection and happiness, to name a few.

The felt sense of this can sometimes be experienced in the heart-space as a simple, effortless, wholehearted openness and energetic rush, like that that a nurturing parent has for a beloved child; that wanting of goodness that they enjoy a successful life of prosperity, love, and fulfillment. That they be healthy and able to meet the demands of life. That they be kept safe and free from harm. That they know goodness in their heart and mind.

You can see this in all mammals, really. Sometimes it shows itself as a fierce protective factor—a mother bear protecting her cubs, willing to maim and even kill to keep her babies safe. Teaching them to hunt for themselves, so they can be nourished throughout life. Letting them play and give and receive affection.

And in that way we, too, can see and use a loving kindness practice as a protective factor—sometimes a fierce one—against our own ‘enemies’ like our Inner Critic or unhealthy habits, or just to help meet the difficulties happening in our lives at any given time. And research indicates it can help with so much more. A loving kindness practices:

• decreases migraines and chronic pain.
  
• decreases negative emotions, PTSD and rumination.
  
• supports us entering into a relaxing and restorative state, lessening activity in the amygdala.
  
• is an effective strategy to work with the Inner Critic, reducing self criticism and depressive symptoms.
  
• grows our self love.
  
• increases compassion and empathy towards ourselves and others
  
• grows our helpfulness. (And we know helping increases our feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment.) 
  
• decreases bias toward others, supporting more generosity and connection in relationship.
  
• shows results in slowing the aging process. (How's that for a protective factor?!)
  

These are all wonderful benefits, but most of all, Loving kindness is especially important to weave into our mindfulness practices because as we sit on our cushion (or in our chair) and the truth of life seeps into our consciousness, meeting it in the moment with kindness and compassion is really the best caring and loving response we can give to ourselves.

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JoAnn Saccato, MA, is a certified teacher with the Mindfulness Training Institute, life coach, author and consultant. She is the author of Companioning the Sacred Journey: A Guide to Creating a Compassionate Container for Your Spiritual Practice and Mindful and Intentional Living: A Path to Peace Clarity and Freedom.

Mindfulness is an umbrella term used for a large body of popular health and wellness practices based on purposefully bringing a curious, kind and non-judgmental attention to moment by moment experience. It is a scientifically proven approach that helps reduce stress and stress-related illnesses, increase focus and attention, decrease incidences of and relapses with depression, reduce anxiety, reduce relapses in addiction, and aids in sleep and digestive disorders. It has also been shown to increase well being, life satisfaction and happiness, as well as improved social relationships.

You can reach JoAnn at [email protected]. To follow her visit: www.MindfulAndIntentionalLiving.com