{"id":5263,"date":"2016-01-26T18:25:05","date_gmt":"2016-01-26T23:25:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gozen.com\/?p=5263"},"modified":"2018-11-15T13:10:43","modified_gmt":"2018-11-15T18:10:43","slug":"loving-kindness-can-kick-anxiety-to-the-curb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gozen.com\/loving-kindness-can-kick-anxiety-to-the-curb\/","title":{"rendered":"Loving-Kindness Can Kick Anxiety to the Curb!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/LKM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5264 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/LKM-639x1024.png\" alt=\"Loving Kindness Meditation for Kids\" width=\"436\" height=\"699\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/LKM-639x1024.png 639w, https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/LKM-600x961.png 600w, https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/LKM-187x300.png 187w, https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/LKM.png 1122w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 436px) 100vw, 436px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>What is it?<\/h3>\n<p>Loving-kindness is a meditation focused on nurturing\u00a0compassion, kindness, goodwill, and love for oneself and others.\u00a0While the loving-kindness meditation or LKM originates in Buddhist traditions, it&#8217;s now practiced widely across cultures and is the focus of extensive research by social scientists.<\/p>\n<h3>Why is it good?<\/h3>\n<p>LKM has the remarkable ability to improve well-being\u00a0by changing the brain, heart, and one&#8217;s perspective on life. Check out some of these unbelievable findings:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.plosone.org\/article\/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0001897\">Research<\/a> shows LKM improves our social connections by changing the brain (literally). More specifically,\u00a0the insula and the temporal parietal junction parts responsible for our ability to empathize are impacted.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/23649562\">Research<\/a> shows LKM can improve vagal tone&#8211;a physiological measurement of resilience and well-being.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/22814662\">Research<\/a> shows LKM increases gray matter in the brain region responsible for emotional regulation.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/16049118\">Research<\/a> shows LKM can decrease chronic pain.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3156028\/\">Research<\/a> shows LKM enables people to be more satisfied with their lives.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3156028\/\">Research<\/a>\u00a0shows LKM can decrease symptoms of depression.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3156028\/\">Research<\/a>\u00a0shows LKM boosts a wide range of emotions including joy, gratitude, contentment, pride, interest, hope, amusement, and awe.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/23893519\">Research<\/a> shows LKM can significantly decrease posttraumatic stress disorder.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/arizona.openrepository.com\/arizona\/handle\/10150\/145398\">Research<\/a> shows LKM can have an immediate relaxation effect\u00a0on the body.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1093\/cercor\/bhs142\">Research<\/a> shows LKM makes you more likely\u00a0to help others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>How do you do it?<\/h3>\n<p>Try this loving-kindness script below that we wrote\u00a0for children.\u00a0This script is based on the traditional LKM where you first send love and kindness to yourself, then to those you hold dear like family and friends, next people you may not hold dear, and then to the\u00a0universe. In the end, the universe sends all that love you sent out back again to you.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Start by sitting or lying down in a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths in and out. Breathe comfortably.\u00a0Say these words to yourself:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>May I be happy, healthy and\u00a0peaceful.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I let go of sadness and bad feelings.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be free from anger.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be free from pain.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be free from difficulties.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be free from suffering.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be healthy, happy, and peaceful.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be filled with loving-kindness.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be at peace.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Continue to breathe. As you breathe, imagine that you&#8217;re unleashing the power you have stored up inside of you to your family. The power comes from your heart. You&#8217;re breathing out the warmth and glow to everyone you love in your family. Imagine their faces.\u00a0Say these words to yourself:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>I spread this loving-kindness out.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> I send love to my family.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they let go of sadness and bad feelings.<br \/>\nMay they\u00a0be free from anger.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they\u00a0be free from pain.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be free from difficulties.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be free from suffering.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they\u00a0be healthy, happy, and peaceful.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be filled with loving-kindness.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be at peace.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>As you breathe feel the love and kindness filling your heart. Imagine you are glowing with the energy of love. You will now spread this energy to your friends, classmates, and teachers.\u00a0Say these words to yourself:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em> I spread this loving-kindness out.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> I send love to my closest friends, to my classmates younger and older, to my teachers.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they let go of sadness and bad feelings.<br \/>\nMay they\u00a0be free from anger.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they\u00a0be free from pain.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be free from difficulties.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be free from suffering.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they\u00a0be healthy, happy, and peaceful.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be filled with loving-kindness.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be at peace.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Next, think about someone in school or a sibling that has perhaps made\u00a0you feel bad. You have the power to warm their heart, too, and release this bad feeling.\u00a0Say\u00a0these words to yourself:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>I spread this loving-kindness out.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> I send love to someone who has once made me feel bad.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I\u00a0let go of sadness and bad feelings.<br \/>\nMay they let go of sadness and bad feelings.<br \/>\nMay they\u00a0be free from anger.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they\u00a0be free from pain.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be free from difficulties.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be free from suffering.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they\u00a0be healthy, happy, and peaceful.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be filled with loving-kindness.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be at peace.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Now, you are really going to see magical ability of love. Your loving energy travels like light\u2014it travels fast, far and wide. With your power you&#8217;re going to send love to everyone on Earth and then the entire universe. Say these words to yourself:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em> I send love now to all the people&#8211;<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Everywhere on Earth.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they let go of sadness and bad feelings.<br \/>\nMay they\u00a0be free from anger.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they\u00a0be free from pain.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be free from difficulties.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be free from suffering.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they\u00a0be healthy, happy, and peaceful.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be filled with loving-kindness.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be at peace.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>May all beings in the universe be free from suffering.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May all beings in all universes, everywhere, be free from suffering.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May all beings of all kinds, in all directions, be happy and at peace.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Above and below, near and far, high and low,<\/em><br \/>\n<em>May all types of beings: humans, animals, trees, birds, anything seen or not seen&#8230;<\/em><br \/>\n<em>May all beings and creatures, with no exceptions&#8230;<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they all be healthy, happy, and peaceful.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they filled with loving-kindness.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May they be at peace.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Now, everyone to whom you have sent your love is sending their love back. Say\u00a0these words to yourself:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>May I be happy, healthy and\u00a0peaceful.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I let go of sadness and bad feelings.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be free from anger.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be free from pain.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be free from difficulties.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be free from suffering.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be healthy, happy, and peaceful.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be filled with loving-kindness.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> May I be at peace.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is it? Loving-kindness is a meditation focused on nurturing\u00a0compassion, kindness, goodwill, and love for oneself and others.\u00a0While the loving-kindness meditation or LKM originates in Buddhist traditions, it&#8217;s now practiced widely across cultures and is the focus of extensive research by social scientists. Why is it good? LKM has the remarkable ability to improve well-being\u00a0by &#8230; <a title=\"Loving-Kindness Can Kick Anxiety to the Curb!\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/gozen.com\/loving-kindness-can-kick-anxiety-to-the-curb\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Loving-Kindness Can Kick Anxiety to the Curb!\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5264,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[200,531,143],"tags":[152,142],"class_list":["post-5263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-anxiety-relief-tips","category-parents","category-meditations","tag-loving-kindness","tag-meditation","no-featured-image-padding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5263"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5263\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gozen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}