Serving with Metta

This week at the women’s jail, there seemed to be a pretty strong
sadness and depression in a few of the women who usually come. They
didn’t really open up at first as to what was going on, so I started
with some sun salutations that included extra jumps, and soon we were laughing and sweating. That seemed to open the doors for some real talk and real emotions. Our discussion was on metta - loving kindness - to ourselves, to our loved ones, to those who challenge us, and to those who need it. My heart breaks open when I see women who are incarcerated, missing their loved ones, sometimes their children, break down when they think about extending loving kindness to themselves. Even though I haven’t been involuntarily separated from my loved ones, I know how often I've been challenged to keep my self-talk encouraging and positive. I also know how challenging and healing it is to talk about what makes our hearts hurt. It’s always rewarding to see the smiles as women leave to go back to their cells. I wish for them that practicing loving kindness empowers them with hope for a better future.