We are finishing up this month with the topics of Purpose, Habits/Rituals, and Strengths and quickly moving into May which is the last month of our school year (how did that even happen?!). May is also our last month where we will be focusing on Positive Psychology, however, we encourage our team to continue incorporating all that was planned throughout the year and continue incorporating it into the classrooms, with the children as well as with each other. We strongly encourage you and your family to do the same!
This past week, we shared with our staff the benefits of Loving-Kindness Meditation and how they can incorporate into the classrooms, with their children as well as family/friends, and especially themselves. LKM is a meditation focused on nurturing compassion, kindness, goodwill, and love for oneself and others. LKM has the remarkable ability to improve well-being by changing the brain, heart, one’s perspective on life.
Check out some of the unbelievable findings:
- Improves our social connections by changing the brain (literally). More specifically, the insula and the temporal-parietal junction parts responsible for our ability to empathize are impacted.
- Improves vagal tone–a physiological measurement of resilience and well-being.
- Increases gray matter in the brain region responsible for emotional regulation.
- Can decrease chronic pain.
- Enables people to be more satisfied with their lives.
- Can decrease symptoms of depression.
- Boosts a wide range of emotions including joy, gratitude, contentment, pride, interest, hope, amusement, and awe.
- Can significantly decrease posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Can have an immediate relaxation effect on the body.
- Makes you more likely to help others.
Try this Loving-Kindness script below that was written for children. This 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 universe. In the end, the universe sends all that love you sent out back again to you.
Start by sitting or lying down in a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths in and out. Breathe comfortably. Say these words to yourself:
May I be happy, healthy and peaceful.
May I let go of sadness and bad feelings.
May I be free from anger.
May I be free from pain.
May I be free from difficulties.
May I be free from suffering.
May I be healthy, happy, and peaceful.
May I be filled with loving-kindness.
May I be at peace.
Next, think about someone in school or a sibling that has perhaps made you feel bad. You have the power to warm their heart, too, and release this bad feeling. Say these words to yourself:
I spread this loving-kindness out.
I send love to someone who has once made me feel bad.
May I let go of sadness and bad feelings.
May they let go of sadness and bad feelings.
May they be free from anger.
May they be free from pain.
May they be free from difficulties.
May they be free from suffering.
May they be healthy, happy, and peaceful.
May they be filled with loving-kindness.
May they be at peace.
Now, you are really going to see magical ability of love. Your loving energy travels like light—it travels fast, far and wide. With your power you’re going to send love to everyone on Earth and then the entire universe. Say these words to yourself:
I send love now to all the people–
Everywhere on Earth.
May they let go of sadness and bad feelings.
May they be free from anger.
May they be free from pain.
May they be free from difficulties.
May they be free from suffering.
May they be healthy, happy, and peaceful.
May they be filled with loving-kindness.
May they be at peace.
May all beings in the universe be free from suffering.
May all beings in all universes, everywhere, be free from suffering.
May all beings of all kinds, in all directions, be happy and at peace.
Above and below, near and far, high and low,
May all types of beings: humans, animals, trees, birds, anything seen or not seen…
May all beings and creatures, with no exceptions…
May they all be healthy, happy, and peaceful.
May they filled with loving-kindness.
May they be at peace.
Now, everyone to whom you have sent your love is sending their love back. Say these words to yourself:
May I be happy, healthy and peaceful.
May I let go of sadness and bad feelings.
May I be free from anger.
May I be free from pain.
May I be free from difficulties.
May I be free from suffering.
May I be healthy, happy, and peaceful.
May I be filled with loving-kindness.
May I be at peace.
We strongly encourage adding the Loving-Kindness script into your daily routine at home!
Come back next week as we continue focusing on Purpose, Habits/Rituals, and Strengths!
*information from gozen.com
