Image courtesy of photo-junction.blogspot.com
There's no shortage of information out there about what you can do to send aid to people affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, including this post on the Huffington Post and this round-up on the Bergdorf Goodman Facebook page. Lady Gaga is even getting in on the act.
Money and supplies are, of course, vital. But making a donation is not all you can do. You can take a few minutes to hold the people of Japan in your heart and wish them well in what's known as a lovingkindness meditation.
What Is a Lovingkindness Meditation?
A lovingkindness meditation, also known by the Pali word metta or the Sanskirt word maitri, is an ancient practice designed to cultivate compassion and love for oneself as well as all other beings on the Earth.
Those are some lofty goals, to be sure, but the means of working toward them are basic:
--Sitting comfortably in a quiet place, call up in your mind an image of someone you want to send good wishes to. In this case, either focus on an image of a map of Japan, or on the faces of a person you know who is in Japan, or the face of a person you've seen on video footage or photographs taken since the earthquake struck.
--Then silently say the following phrases: "May the people of Japan be happy. May they be safe. May they be free from suffering." Continue repeating the phrases silently to yourself while holding that image that represents the Japanese people to you in your mind. Continue as long as you can, as long as you have, whether it's two minutes or twenty.
I know what you might be thinking: Why is this helpful, exactly? Here is renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg's explanation of how lovingkindness mediation works:
"Doing metta we plant the seeds of love, knowing that nature will take its course and in time those seeds will bear fruit. Some seeds will come to fruition quickly, some slowly, but our work is simply to plant the seeds. Every time we form the intention in the mind … for the happiness of others, we are doing our work; we are channeling the powerful energies of our own minds. Beyond that, we can trust the laws of nature to continually support the flowering of our love."
So, donate what money you can. But don't neglect to send the people of Japan what may be your most powerful gift of all—your love and well wishes. Unlike money, you can give them every day with no danger of running out.
Kate Hanley is a regular contributor to Whole Living, a passionate yogi, and the author of The Anywhere, Anytime Chill Guide. She's also founder of msmindbody.com.
