Heartfulness: An antidote to bullying

By Danika Swanson

For this Inspirations edition, we are revisiting a mindfulness practice that involves sending kind intentions to ourselves and others, called Heartfulness.

Heartfulness is based on Loving Kindness Meditation. While it has its roots in Buddhist tradition, there is a lot of research that shows that this practice can increase well-being and positive emotions, cultivate compassion and empathy for ourselves and others, and help us feel more connected to the people around us – both loved ones and strangers.

We could all use more kindness and empathy, both of which provide an important antidote to violence and bullying. In addition, research suggests that when people practice regularly, they start automatically reacting more positively to others, enhancing the quality of their social interactions and relationships.

Traditionally, the Loving Kindness practice involves a simple repetition of three or four phrases wishing for someone to be happy, healthy and strong, and filled with ease/peace/joy. I like to add a wish for safety as well. The full practice traditionally includes directing these wishes to a series of different people starting with yourself and then expanding your circle outwards (to a loved one, then to someone you feel neutral about, then towards someone you might be having difficulty with, and finally to all beings everywhere).

Here, we will start with kind intentions for another person, with the option to add kind intentions for yourself, and then your community (school/city/world etc.).

You can use whichever words and phrasing feel most comfortable or natural for you. For example, “May you be…” “I hope you will be…” “I wish for you to be…” If you say these slowly and include a mindful breath, it takes about 20 seconds; think about where you might be able to integrate this short practice into your daily life, such as when you wake up, before a meal, while washing your hands, or at bedtime.

Practice

-Get into your mindful body. Place your hand(s) on your chest, your heart centre.

-Close your eyes (or keep your gaze soft) and bring to mind someone who you see regularly who makes you happy when you see them, like someone you live with, someone at school, a teacher or maybe even a pet! Can you notice the happiness in your heart?

-Imagine this person is healthy and strong. Imagine they are happy. Imagine they are surrounded by calm and peaceful things, and feel a sense of calm and peace.

-Let your heart fill with kindness and then send kind thoughts to the person you are thinking of by saying the following, either silently or out loud:

• May you be happy
• May you be healthy
• May you be peaceful
• May you be kind, and accept yourself just as you are.

- Take a few moments and let those kind thoughts flow from your heart to theirs. Notice how it feels.

- If you would like, send the same kind thoughts to yourself. You can also send kind thoughts to a larger community such as your school/city/world by repeating the first three prompts.

-When you’re ready, open your eyes and notice how it felt to send kind thoughts to others and/or to yourself.

Resources:

Sending Kind Thoughts | Loving-er Kindness Meditation, from Great Good Science Center (YouTube video 1:46)

Mindfulness Class for Kids! Ep. 5 by Mindful Schools, Sending Kind Thoughts (Vimeo video 15:13)

From the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC), under “Free Guided Meditations:”

Loving Kindness Meditation (English, 9:31).

Méditation de la Bienveillance (French, 14:26).

Danika Swanson is the consultant for the Spiritual and Community Animation Service at the English Montreal School Board. She was trained by Mindful Schools to teach mindfulness to elementary and secondary school students.