Meditation for Loneliness
Let’s continue our discussion about loneliness.
In the first post of this series, I shared with you why loneliness is one of the greatest problems faced by society, as told by the U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy. In the second post, we discussed four different ways to foster social connections with our fellow human beings. And today, I will share with you the tool that Vivek reaches for when he's having one of those moments when he feels alone and starts to feel the despair creeping in.
Vivek Murthy’s Simple Meditation
It's kind of a meditation, so I will run with you, and maybe you can follow along as I read you the words from Vivek himself. It's very simple. It takes only about 30 seconds.
I want you to think about the people who have loved you over the years,
the people who have been there for you during difficult times,
who supported you without judging you,
and who stood by your side even when it was hard.
Think about the people who have celebrated your moments of greatest joy with you,
the people who saw your success as theirs,
the people who derived such pleasure and fulfillment from seeing you happy.
Feel their love flowing through you,
lifting you up,
brightening your mood,
and filling your heart.
And know that that love is always there
even if they're not physically with you
because you carry that love in your heart.
And know that you are and always will be worthy of that love.
It came to you because you deserved it.
And now, open your eyes.
What you felt in that brief meditation, that is the power of love.
That is the power of social connection.
That is our birthright.
It is who we are designed to be, what we are designed to experience.
The Power of Focus
All of us, regardless of what walk of life we are in, we have the ability to shine the light on the bright spots, whether those are the relationships that bring joy or movements in our community that are helping grow connection. It is where we choose to focus our attention, it's where we use our power to focus the attention of others, that ultimately determines whether or not we create more light in the world or more darkness.
Conclusion: A Candle Can Light Up An Entire Room of Darkness
And the conversation with Vivek ended with a powerful sentence. These are words that one of his mentors in medical school told him years ago. She said, “In a world that is full of despair, small acts of kindness are radical acts of defiance, and they are the force we need to ultimately build the world that we all need.”