Summer of Lovingkindness Invitational comes to an end?

I've been blogging about Loving Kindness over the last month or two as part of the Summer of Lovingkindness Invitational. And now, it's coming to an end. July 1st to August 31st were the official beginning and end to the SOLI put out there online by Mahala Mazerov from her blog, Luminous Heart, where her intention was to "create a space for your heart and your insights, for things positive and unexpected."

I've learned so much from all the comments and posts on Mahala's wonderful blog, Luminous Heart. It's become a place I look forward to visiting every week, listening in and learning from her wise words and the comments of fellow bloggers. It is a soft, warm place to rest and learn, such a different pace from usual frantic feeling of the internet.

What keeps popping up here and on Mahala's blog are about the feelings of selfishness we sometimes feel when we practice loving kindness on ourselves. Taking time for you or me without feeling guilty seems to be very hard. And, yet, how can we truly be there for anyone else, if we're not meeting our own needs? There's a huge difference between being kind and being a martyr.

Many other SOLI bloggers have commented saying that self kindness is practical, like food and water for our body and soul then when we add true kindness toward others to that and we can create positive energy that helps everyone. I do think this is true.

With that intention in mind: to create more positive energy in our lives personally and globally, I'd like to keep my end of the SOLI open. I'd like to keep reminding myself to be kind, and pass that kindness on to generate more of that positive energy here, there and everywhere.

Because it seems to easy to forget that in the rush, rush of life. Ya know?
What are your ideas for you? Let's keep the kindness ball rolling.

(Homemade Frittata with homegrown tomatoes and zucchini made with kindness for me and my hubby!)

Summer of Loving Kindness - Around the House

After joining in on the Summer of Loving Kindness Invitational, I've become much more aware of how much loving kindness there is out there in the world for all of us. Sometimes it doesn't seem that way, but as I reach out to this online group and my fellow bloggers, I'm finding loving kindness is always available for giving and receiving, if we are aware.

Many of you have shared the way you show loving kindness to yourself and others. Last time, I talked about the importance of walking not just for exercise but as an act of loving kindness.

This week, as I worked around the house, I began to see that some of the little ordinary, everyday things I do are, indeed, acts of loving kindness.

Making a fresh peach and blueberry cobbler may not seem like an act of loving kindness, but it is. As I peeled the soft, ripe peaches, I placed them in the baking dish, I thought about my family and friends enjoying the treat and I remembered all those wonderful scones and brownies baked for me when I was growing up.

Gathering my lavender and rosemary, I realize is another act of loving kindness. For myself, I get to breathe in the luscious and relaxing scents. For the earth, I trim the plant so it can grow healthier. For others, I dry the herbs for sachets to give to my family, neighbors and friends.

Recycling a copper candle holder I made years ago into a patio fountain. Ok, I had a hard time looking at my early copper efforts, but taking it apart, I realized how much more I was able to do with it now. So, I practiced loving kindness there. And my husband loves sitting and watching the water flow as well as playing with the position of the copper leaves to change the water's direction. I'm hoping the soft sounds of the water fountain are soothing for the small children and parents living nearby.

All small, ordinary things but I realize that you don't have to go anywhere or do anything special to bring more loving kindness to the world around you...it really does start at home.

Summer of Loving Kindness - Walking

Being part of the Summer of Loving Kindness Invitational, I'm becoming so much more aware of how unkind I can be to me. And I know I'm not alone. Last post, many of you chimed in about how difficult it is to take the time to be kind to yourself.

The good news is that it is possible to show loving kindness to ourselves and many of you had great ideas to pass along. Meditating. Yoga. Naps.

I walk. I realized this week that for me, this is an act of loving kindness. I used to think of it as necessary exercise but over the years, it's become much more. I get out of my doing and into being. Instead of listening to the noise in my head, I listen to the birds, lean on the cedar tree, watch the ducks, fish and otters in the lake.

An added plus, walking with my cute doggy, Jilly. Now, to take a suggestion from Stacy, maybe it's time for a nap.

Question: Why is it so hard to be kind to yourself?

I've wondered about this for many years. I've made many attempts at self-kindness that didn't last. Last week, I found out I'm not alone in my quest, on Mahala Mazerov's blog, Luminous Heart, I joined the Summer of Lovingkindness Invitational.
Calling all practical idealists, hidden mystics, and people of good heart!
Please join me for 2 months of creative focus on love and lovingkindness.
Starting today, (July 1st) through August 31st, I invite you to share your words, art, wisdom, and stories — your questions, contemplations and experiences — in the Summer of Lovingkindness Invitational, #SOLI for short.

There are many wise and wonderful people joining, sharing and commenting. The other day, in a comment on her site, I found myself writing about an experience I had as a new mom.

Here's what I wrote:

As a mother of two, now grown, children, I can see that loving kindness truly bloomed in me as I nurtured my children. And it reminds me of an exchange between my own mother and I.

I had been home a few days after giving birth to my first child, a daughter, and I was giving her one of her first baths in a small baby sink in the bathroom. I’d carefully assembled all the needs, soap, shampoo, soft wash cloth and towel then, just as carefully and somewhat nervously, I undressed this little darling. While my mother looked on, I lowered her slowly into the bath and went about gently washing her smooth skin while taking in her tiny beauty from her dark hair and eyes, little lips and fingernails. As I was absorbed in the process of bathing my daugther, I didn’t notice that I did anything special, but as I finished up my mother said, “You did that all so gently. I never did that, I was in such a hurry and just scrubbed you.” When I looked over at her, curious, wondering if I was getting criticized, I could see amazement on her face. It was as if for the first time, she realized that she could have done it differently.

The act of bathing, feeding and holding my children was always done with loving kindness, I realize now. It just came naturally. Why, then, is it so hard to give that same care to myself?


Mahala used my experience and question as part of her next blog post, Tender Loving Care and many people had their own answers to my question.

The answers were illuminating, helpful, supportive and interesting. Some felt self kindness would make them selfish or self serving or a self kindness addict. Some felt loving kindness is an essential spiritual discipline. Some felt that being kind to themselves would transform their life.

What do you think? Are you as kind to yourself as you are to others? Do you need more Lovingkindness? How would you go about getting it for yourself? My sweet kitty, Terra sleeping on my feet feels like Lovingkindness to me. What ways do you find Lovingkindness for yourself?