Research Shows Kindness Meditation Helps You Love More

Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D. is a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who researched the emotion, and wrote a book about, love. In Love 2.0: How Our Supreme Emotion Affects Everything We Feel, Think, Do and Become, Fredrickson's research demonstrates that when people practice a kindness based meditation every day for a few minutes, they experience more love in general in their lives. 

One way to practice kindness based meditation is to sit quietly for a few minutes. Close your eyes and picture someone in your mind's eye. Think or say out loud, "May {person's name} feel safe. May they feel happy. May they feel healthy. May they live with ease." 

This technique is simple and effective. It is also similar to the diamond heart Buddhist meditation practice. With this technique you sit with your eyes closed. Picture someone who needs love or support. Invite all their pain to enter into your heart. Picture your heart like a diamond, cold and glittering. See the pain and suffering melting away from the person as it is absorbed by the diamond. Send out love to them in return.

A third and similar visualization technique helps you to get along with almost anyone in your workplace, family, personal life etc. Look for an upcoming blog post about it soon!