"My religion is kindness," says the Dalai Lama. Yet, lovingkindness is the way of all religions. It is the essence of the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer, is the foundation of the Shinto virtues of kiyoki and akaki kokoro, sits at the heart of the Jain principle of ahimsa, and guides the Golden Rule of all major faiths. It has no allegiance to any particular culture, and discriminates between no one and no thing in its attention.
If we embody lovingkindness fully, we will naturally feel at peace, find it easy to forgive those who mean to harm us, and be reliably guided by our hearts rather than our heads. We will be wise and grounded, unafraid about our future, and live a life that breathes goodness. In short, we will come to know lovingkindness as being the ultimate antidote to all that is wrong in the world and in our lives.
Such perfection may seem out of reach for many of us, yet taking small steps can take us far toward it. Opening up to a life of lovingkindness needn’t be onerous and painful. In fact, it can be inspiring and inviting!
In this timely and important book, Clive Johnson explains how lovingkindness can be embraced not just as a prayer or a practice, but as a way of life. He shows that how by making simple changes in how we think and act in many everyday situations, lovingkindness will begin to embrace us and radiate within us. Lovingkindness is revealed to be expansive, continuing to grow in its reach and effect the more it is embraced. Its relevance to all situations is made clear–showing for example, how it comes to the fore when holding space, saying goodbye to a passing loved one, or when simply walking down the street.
Taking an interfaith perspective, the book describes why cultivating lovingkindness is essential for anyone who is set upon a spiritual path, and makes clear how every individual can make a real difference in bringing peace into the world. Giving special attention to six of its essential intentions–wholeness, living in the heart, freedom from suffering, healing, happiness and peace–lovingkindness is revealed to be wide-ranging in the gifts it promises for those who invite it.
By inviting lovingkindness for ourselves–as we must do if we are to be able to extend it to others–we can expect to be quickly filled with joy, enjoy frequent moments of great insight, and taste unity consciousness, along with many other beautiful experiences that are part of the deal.
Even if we lived in a world that wasn’t lacking loving attention and care, when we learn to make lovingkindness a priority, to make lovingkindness a habit will change both ourselves and our world in ways beyond which we might ever imagine.
