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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Lovingkindness summary
The Revolutionary Art of Happiness
27 mins
Brief summary
Lovingkindness by Sharon Salzberg is a guide to cultivating a heartfelt as well as practical journey to inner peace and happiness. It focuses on embracing the positive and offers practical advice on developing empathy, patience, and love towards oneself and others.
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Lovingkindness
Summary of 8 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 8
To attain true happiness, embrace all aspects of your experience.
In the Taoist yin-yang symbol, a circle that’s half dark and half light, there are two dots. In the heart of darkness, light can be found. And surrounded by light, darkness is acknowledged.
Less abstractly, the symbol means that even if things aren’t going well for us in life, we shouldn’t be impervious to happiness. And if things are going well for us and we’re happy, we can’t ignore the possibility of suffering in the future. This integration – the capacity to accept both states, deeply, at the same time – results in abiding happiness.
The key message here is: To attain true happiness, embrace all aspects of your experience.
Western culture’s definition of happiness doesn’t usually make room for suffering. Media and cultural assumptions suggest that experiencing pain or sadness is shameful or blameworthy. And underlying these messages is an expectation that we should be able to suppress any feelings of fear or loss.
Pain is, by nature, an isolating experience that can make us feel disconnected from humanity and life. When we define pain as unacceptable, life becomes even more constricting. But if we become willing to relate to life fully, including the suffering, we can move our hearts out of isolation and into true connection.
One way to get there is meditation. In meditating, we learn to really pay attention – to become aware of and embody constructive mental states, and to let go of ones that don’t serve us. If you think this is just another woo-woo practice, not so fast! Meditation has numerous science-backed benefits.
One study published in the journal Pain Management Nursing revealed that after a 20-minute guided lovingkindness meditation, migraine sufferers reported a 43 percent reduction in emotional tension and 33 percent less pain. And when scientists taught lovingkindness to people with chronic back pain, they also found large improvements in pain and stress reduction.
The Buddha had his own list of the particular advantages of a lovingkindness practice. These included: pleasant dreams; being loved by people, celestial beings, and animals alike; immunity from external dangers; a serene mind; and a radiant face.
In the following blinks, we’ll explore the four brahma-viharas, or “heavenly abodes” – a series of Buddhist virtues and the meditations designed to cultivate them. In practicing these, we can radically change our relationship to life, making room for a calmness and clarity of mind that allows us to shed stress, fear, and criticism. First up? Metta, or lovingkindness.
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What is Lovingkindness about?
Lovingkindness (1995) is a gentle guide to uncovering the profound meanings of love and happiness. With psychological insights and actionable meditations, it shows us how the Buddhist path to pursuing a liberated heart can help each of us tap into our inner radiant joy – allowing us to be kinder to ourselves and to others.
Lovingkindness Review
Lovingkindness (1995) by Sharon Salzberg is a book that explores the transformative power of love and compassion. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- Through compelling personal stories and practical exercises, it offers a roadmap for cultivating kindness and empathy towards ourselves and others.
- By exploring the scientific research on the benefits of lovingkindness practice, the book provides a solid foundation for understanding the power of compassion.
- With its earnest and relatable tone, the book deftly avoids being dry or theoretical, making it an engaging and accessible read.
Best quote from Lovingkindness
You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. -Buddha
—Sharon Salzberg
Who should read Lovingkindness?
- People who want to be kinder to themselves and others
- Stressed individuals seeking to cultivate inner peace
- Curious minds interested in exploring the tenets of Buddhism
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Lovingkindness FAQs
What is the main message of Lovingkindness?
The main message of Lovingkindness is the power of practicing love and kindness towards ourselves and others.
How long does it take to read Lovingkindness?
The reading time for Lovingkindness varies, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Lovingkindness a good book? Is it worth reading?
Lovingkindness is a valuable read for anyone interested in cultivating compassion. It offers practical techniques and insights for developing lovingkindness towards ourselves and others.
Who is the author of Lovingkindness?
The author of Lovingkindness is Sharon Salzberg.
What to read after Lovingkindness?
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