Lion's Roar

  • Meditation
  • Buddhist Wisdom
  • Life & Culture
  • The Magazine
  • Buddhadharma
  • Store

Lion's Roar

DONATE SUBSCRIBE
  • Meditation
  • Buddhist Wisdom
  • Life & Culture
  • The Magazine
  • Buddhadharma
  • Store

Practicing Love in a Pandemic

by Kimberly Brown| March 25, 2020

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Meditation teacher Kimberly Brown offers a short practice for cultivating a loving connection to ourselves and the world amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Photo by Giulia Bertelli.

The novel coronavirus outbreak has left me feeling afraid and helpless. I’ve lost sleep, worrying and wondering about what might happen to me and my family if we contract Covid-19. If we don’t, what can we do to help the situation? Volunteering to help sick people isn’t possible, and donating money won’t slow the spread of the virus.

In the midst of my worry, I sat down, put my hand on my heart, took a few deep breaths, and used mindfulness to calm my racing thoughts. I realized this terrible situation our world is in serves as a profound opportunity to recognize and honor our interdependence. We have a deep connection to all beings, and now is the perfect time to practice love for them.

Together we can create the conditions for everyone to be healthy and safe.

Practicing love requires that we stop thinking only about our own wellbeing and consider how our actions impact everyone. Paradoxically, it means the most important thing we ourselves can do is to stay well. Maintaining our own good health will put less stress on the healthcare system and free up resources to help those who are sick and need care. It will also prevent the spread of the illness to those who are at higher risk to die from complications of Covid-19.

Practicing love in a pandemic means being patient with our own fears and hopes, as well as those who may seem unreasonably scared or angry. We can be mindful and careful with our words and refrain from harsh communication to create less panic and divisiveness. This will help our society come together and make this difficult time as easy as possible. We can listen to our leaders, supporting those who are competent, compassionate, and effective in safeguarding citizens from the virus and the resulting economic strain.

Everyone deserves to be healthy and free from sickness. This includes you, your family, friends, strangers, and even the people you hate. I encourage you to take a break for a few minutes each hour, and do this brief metta practice to develop your good heart and steady mind:

1. Put your hand on your heart and take a few deep breaths.

2. For a few minutes, silently repeat to yourself: May I be safe and healthy and free from fear.

3. Next, consider someone you know in the medical community — your family doctor, a friend who is an EMT, a nurse, social worker, or public health official. Offer the phrases to this person for a few minutes: May you be safe and healthy and free from fear.

4. Finally, consider all beings everywhere, and offer them the phrases: May we be safe and healthy and free from fear.

As I practice love during this pandemic, I feel less and less helplessness and more connection to myself and the world. If we all use this time to strengthen our love and good hearts, we can approach this devastating situation with skillful action and deep wisdom. Together we can create the conditions for everyone to be healthy and safe. May we respect and honor our interdependence. May it be so.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Can you help us at a critical time?

COVID-19 has brought tremendous suffering, uncertainty, fear, and strain to the world.

Our sincere wish is that these Buddhist teachings, guided practices, and stories can be a balm in these difficult times. Over the past month, over 400,000 readers like you have visited our site, reading almost a million pages and streaming over 120,000 hours of video teachings. We want to provide even more Buddhist wisdom but our resources are strained. Can you help us?

No one is free from the pandemic’s impact, including Lion’s Roar. We rely significantly on advertising and newsstand sales to support our work — both of which have dropped precipitously this year. Can you lend your support to Lion’s Roar at this critical time?

SUPPORT LION’S ROAR

Kimberly Brown

About Kimberly Brown

For over a decade, Kimberly Brown has offered classes and retreats that emphasize the power of compassion and kindness meditation to reconnect us to ourselves and others. Her teachings provide an approachable pathway to personal and collective well-being through effective and modern techniques based on traditional practices. She studies in both the Tibetan and Insight schools of Buddhism and is a certified mindfulness instructor. Visit her on the web at MeditationWithHeart.com.

Topics: COVID-19, Interdependence & Interconnectedness, Loving-Kindness / Metta / Maitri

Related Posts...

Four Meditations to Practice in the Wake of a Tragedy
by Diana Winston
4 Better Ways to Relate to Money
by Spencer Sherman
The Intimacy of Covid
by Tenku Ruff

Welcome to LionsRoar.com

By Lion's Roar Staff

We’re glad to have you here. But first: who are “we”? You may very well know us as the publishers of two Buddhist magazines, the Shambhala Sun and Buddhadharma. Then again, you may not know us at all. Either way, please allow us to re-introduce ourselves: We’re the Shambhala Sun Foundation. We [...]

  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscriber Services
  • Privacy
  • BUDDHIST DIRECTORY
  • About Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
TEACHINGS
  • Chan & Zen
  • Nichiren
  • Pure Land
  • Shin
  • Theravada & Insight
  • Vajrayana & Tibetan
  • More…
LIFE
  • Death & Dying
  • Difficult Times
  • Everyday Life
  • Food & Eating
  • Love & Relationships
  • Wellness & Psychology
  • More…
EXPLORE BUDDHISM
  • By the Numbers
  • FAQs
  • For Beginners
  • Glossary
  • How to Meditate
  • The Buddha
  • More…
NEWS
  • Breaking News
  • Climate Change
  • Contemporary Art
  • Current Events
  • Politics & Society
  • Teachers & Centers
  • More…

© 2021 Lion's Roar | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 902.422.8404 | Published by Lion's Roar Foundation