Meditation: Cultivating Empathy for Others

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium It’s easy to love others when times are good. But it can be difficult to love others when things are tough or when someone has different values or opinions than we do.  To empathize means to understand and share the feelings of others. And when we take the time to truly empathize with others, we can open up a space for compassion and love, even in tough times. And even with those who we disagree. So go ahead and settle in, Resting your eyes shut, And making any adjustments to your body you need to make, And then exhale as you drop into your position.  PAUSE… Find your breath, Expanding each inhale and exhale as it slows you down. Breathe,  And keep your attention on the rhythm of your body as you breathe in, And breathe out. PAUSE… From this place of calm stillness, See if you can think about someone with whom you’ve had a moment of friction lately. This could be a life partner who recently drove you crazy, Or a work colleague with whom you disagree. A child with whom you can’t see eye to eye, Or even a public figure who has enraged you from afar. PAUSE… As you think about this person,  Notice any emotion or judgemental thoughts that come up. Let them gather like rolling storm clouds above you, And every time you breathe out,  Imagine that cloud is drifting away, Releasing you from its negativity. Breathe it all out. And keep coming back to the calm stillness inside. PAUSE… Now with the vision of this person in your mind, Clear from the clouds of triggered emotions or judgements,  Imagine yourself looking deeply into their eyes. Inside you can see scenes of their humanness. You see this person as a baby, Vulnerable and fresh. Just like you were.  You see this person in tears, In a dark and lonely moment. Just like you have been. You see this person hugging someone they love, Just like you have. You see someone’s past shaping their character and worldview, Just as yours has.  PAUSE… Be here with this vision for a bit. LONG PAUSE… Bring your hands to your heart as we end with this intention. May I infuse my heart and my actions with empathy for others today, so that I may add more love into the world. Namaste, Beautiful.  💗💗💗 Check out all the deals from our incredible sponsors here! --> https://womensmeditationnetwork.com/sponsors   💗💗💗 Check out all of our other podcasts at https://womensmeditationnetwork.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices