Being kind is being nice and it makes the person that you are being nice to feel good, and it makes you feel good, too!

Being kind is a passport to making friends, also. When we see someone that is having a problem and then step in to help, everyone benefits - both the one being helped and the one helping out.

Guided meditation about being kind

Start by sitting up straight in your meditation place, and begin doing even and natural breathing like this - breathe in 1 count and breathe out 1 count, and repeat this even pattern while sitting still and thinking. You don't need to say the numbers during the meditation. Just keep up the even rhythm of breathing.

If you are sitting on a cushion on the floor, fold in your legs and place your folded hands in your lap. If you are sitting in a chair, place the soles of your feet on the floor and place your hands in your lap. If you like, keep a journal and pen at your side to write about any thoughts that come to you about being kind.

Breathing evenly in and out calms the mind and body and is a good preparation for any meditation. And keeping up the even pattern during the meditation gives you a clearer mind and relaxed body so you can turn all your attention to the topic of the meditation.

Now, imagine that you are walking along the street on the sidewalk and you see a woman senior citizen who seems to have too many bags of groceries. She looks like they are too heavy for her.

You run up to her and politely volunteer to carry some of her bags home.

She is grateful and you spend a few minutes going out of your way walking home with her.

Now, notice that you feel like you have more energy than even before you saw the woman needing help. This is what being kind does - helps out another and gives you more energy, too!

To finish your meditation, take a deep breath in and let it out, then open your eyes and stretch out. Write down any new thoughts that have come to you from thinking about being kind.

Take this thought with you: If more people in our world would take the time to be kind to each other, we would realize we really do live in a big worldwide human family.

Article by Susan Kramer

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For offsite reading

Meditation for Teens and Adults
More than 70 offerings, from guided meditation techniques to on-the-go stress relief and relationship meditations interspersed with verse, and a section of special occasion prayers. 114 pages.

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Meditation for all Kids
Sitting, walking, dance and group circle meditations, along with positive affirmations, verses and benefits of meditation for kids of all ages and abilities in a 100 page book with illustrations.