Cultivate Loving Kindness

This was the theme for Yoga today... the instructor is one who is super mellow, and turns up the piano music a little louder then most of the others, so amidst the rain storms and night sounds the piano came out today...

I won't lie I was a little shocked when I came in this evening and it was just the instructor and one other guy in the class...So put my mat down not too far from his, grabbed a block and sat down... before I knew it there were students in training in the back to observe ... Usually I really do not like to be watched while I am in practice, but this teacher did a great job of drawing us in to practice, cultivating and returning to the idea of the steady breath throughout class...  Before I knew it I was so focused, I did not remember there was much of anyone anywhere, but focused on what I was trying to do, not even paying attention to the boy next to me.. A blow to my concentration and breath came when we came to tree pose... it was definitely a stormy day for me, as I tried to steady from inside and reach up and out... but everyone is bound to have stormy days... on occasion...

At the end of the practice as we settled into Shavasana she talked again about loving kindness... think of a person who always brings joy when you see them and talk to them, in their presence you feel happiness... (I thought of my nephews)... but then who do you want to pass this loving kindness on to as you cultivate it? As I thought of one who is not too close to many... I wondered how can I pass it on to this individual?

I love the word cultivate with loving kindness...It denotes work and effort that has to be put into creating the feeling of loving kindness...it is something that has to be grown, and will not just appear one day without the work... There are times where the growth is small, and there is little desire to work on the cultivation, especially when the storm beats down on tree... the roots seem to not stay grounded as we wish they would... but eventually the storm passes, the 'son' comes back bringing new light and energy helping us to see ways to refine, develop, and improve...

This is not the first time this theme of 'loving kindness' has been introduced into my life... I remember serving under President and Sister Walker. They wanted everyone who walked in from the world through the doors of the Salt Lake Temple to feel of the loving kindness in the temple from all of the workers... it was the theme for the year before they were released from the temple...