How to be more kind to yourself and others?
Would you like to be more kind?
Kind when you’re happy,
Kind when you like someone.
But also
Kind while you say no,
Kind while you disagree,
Kind while you are assertive,
Kind while you decide to walk away.
First I invite you to decide for yourself:
Would you like to be more kind,
Regardless of the circumstances?
If yes, I'll tell you the essential ingredient.
It takes practise,
But it works.
Kindfullness: How can you practise to be more kind?
I'm talking about kindness
To your noisy kids when you're tired.
To your partner when you feel hurt by him/her.
To those who vote differently than you.
To the customer service of the broadband company.
To the one who stole your phone.
To your mother-in-law who seems to always criticise you.
To your boss who behaves like a bully.
Kind in your mind to yourself.
And let me get one thing straight:
By kind I don't mean condoning.
I don't mean accepting what isn't right.
By kind I mean keeping
The dignity of the other intact
Even when you tell them you disagree.
In Buddhism they taught me
That being kind is always possible.
Always, also when we clash.
That's it is a choice to be kind.
A decision you make.
But how?
“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
How to practise kindness
If you want to be kind
To yourself, those near and dear
And to the tricky people too
You need one crucial thing.
One vital ingredient,
Otherwise your kindness
Goes out of the window
At the first opportunity.
What's this essential ingredient?
It's inner calm.
"Without calm, no kind"
Said Buddhist Meditation Master
Chokji Nyima Rinpoche,
During a meditation retreat in Nepal
That I attended in 2019.
So let's practice being calm.
It starts by simply
Watching our breath.
Please try it now.
Feel the air around your nostrils.
Blowing on your upper lip.
Notice your lungs rising
And falling with your inhalations.
Count your breath, if you find that helpful.
Turn your attention to your breath
Watch, feel, notice
Be aware of your breath.
When distracted
Gently bring your attention back.
That's it.
That's all you need to do.
It might sound simplistic
But when you turn your attention
To your breath
Your mind and body relax.
It soothes stress and tension
And brings you to the present moment.
Inner calm is right there.
I'm practicing it too.
Remember your breath as often as you can.
Resting in your breath.
Kindness and wisdom will follow.
Wishing you inner calm
And a life full of kindness.
With love, Karin
