We are told many stories about love. Our culture tells us that romantic love will make us happy. Advertisers imply that certain products will make us feel content. We’re conditioned to believe that we will finally be loveable once we’ve achieved certain goals or when our projects of self-improvement come to fruition.
What if we could let go of these stories? What would it be like to love ourselves for who we are and to extend that love to those around us? And what if we were to extend unconditional love to all beings? [Real Love with Sharon Salzberg]
It may sound impossible to do what Sharon Salzberg is asking, but you might be surprised to learn that in fact, humans are hard wired for compassionate action. Extending unconditional love is in our DNA.
In this workshop we will explore the practice of loving-kindness meditation, or metta. “Metta” is the Pali word for the act of wishing well for ourselves and others, without exception. We will consider compassion (karuna), and the ways it differs from friendly kindness. The practice of both metta and karuna strengthens our innate capacity to be loving, less judgmental, and more resilient. The power of loving-kindness practice cannot be overestimated, and the need for more of us to cultivate real love has never been more immediate or urgent.
Through meditation we will experience directly the expansive nature of metta and its benefits, while also discovering the barriers we often encounter when meditating in this way.
You will get:
Guided instruction in loving-kindness and compassion practices, including meditation.
Inquiry exercises to enhance awareness and understanding of barriers to loving-kindness.
Evidence-based data on the science behind kindness and compassion and their connection to health and wellness.
Group dialogue and shared peer support.
A downloadable audio guided loving-kindness meditation to keep.
This workshop is open to all, suitable for both beginners and more experienced meditators.
$40 per person. (partial scholarships available)
Please complete the registration form, which has TWO SECTIONS.