Spiritual Practices

Loving others

Spiritual Practice: If you're having difficulty getting along with someone, or feel resentment toward someone from your past, try this experiment for a few minutes, two or three times a day, over the next week: Rub your hands together briskly for several seconds, imagining that loving energy is flowing from your heart into your hands. Then raise your arms and visualize loving energy flowing to that individual from your heart through your hands. It might help to mentally repeat “Love, Love...." Picture him or her smiling, permeated with divine love. Continue as long as you wish. Next, visualize that person sending loving energy to you.

If you're having difficulty feeling love, think of someone you love for a minute or two and then hold on to that feeling of love as you begin to practice the exercise.

If you're not alone, such as when you're on a bus or train, you can sit quietly, close your eyes, and visualize loving energy flowing from your heart to the point between your eyebrows. From that point, broadcast it to the other person.

Spiritual Practice: Acknowledge others for what they do. This serves as an expression of love and appreciation.

Spiritual Practice: Pray for others, especially those you're having trouble getting along with. A simple prayer is all that is needed: “Bless that soul." You may not notice any change in the other person, but you will change. Watch your attitude become more loving, more compassionate, more understanding. As it does, your relationship with that person will improve.

Spiritual Practice: Visualize or feel divine love filling you. Spend time enjoying that love, then send it out to others.

Spiritual Practice: Perform a kind deed for someone you love, for someone you have trouble getting along with, or for a complete stranger. Do it with the consciousness that the God-spark in you is serving the God-spark in the other person.

Spiritual Practice: When you're with someone, look for ways to be of service. Ask yourself what they need. Anticipate their needs. Do they need a glass of water? A friendly, nonjudgmental listener? A silent prayer? An acknowledgment? Think of ways, both hidden and obvious, to give love to others through acts of service.

Spiritual Practice: Read The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate, by Gary Chapman, to determine how those you love want love to be expressed to them. He points out that even though you may be expressing love in a way that seems obvious to you, other people might not be getting the message if their love language is different from the way you're expressing it. Once you know their love language, you can express love in such a way that they will feel loved.

Spiritual Practice: Practice seeing each person you come in contact with as a soul loved unconditionally by God. And when you look in the mirror, see yourself as a soul loved unconditionally by God.

Spiritual Practice: Reach out to someone whom you know is ignored by the majority of people—even if it's just with a kind word or greeting, or through a silent prayer.

Spiritual Practice: Graciously accept compliments that others give you, instead of rejecting them by saying such things as, “Oh, it's nothing." Say “Thank you" and accept them as a gift of love. You'll be giving them a gift, just as they are giving you one.

Spiritual Practice: When talking with someone, instead of thinking about what you're going to say next while the other person is speaking, really listen to what he or she is saying. Set aside judgments and agendas. Let others know that you heard them by feeding back to them some of what they said or acknowledging an emotion they were expressing. When appropriate, ask them what they are feeling, or were feeling if they're relating an incident from the past, to give them the message that you welcome their emotions. Allow them to express what they're feeling without judging them. Ask questions for clarity, though be careful about asking “why?" which gets people out of their feelings and into their heads. This kind of empathic listening is a gift of love that can bring healing to others.