Introducing the LOVING-Kindness Hand wash!
How do you wash YOUR hands?
Doh! Even in these crazy times of COVID-19, that seems like a bit of a silly question. I mean, we all know how important it is to wash your hands both frequently and well, don’t we?
I’d be willing to bet if most of us learn nothing else from this Coronavirus experience it will be to remember to wash our hands – both more often and with more care. I know I will!
Well. If you’re sick of singing the HAPPY BIRTHDAY song to get you through your hand-washing, I’ve got a proposition for you…
How about throwing in a bit of compassion and stress reduction while you’re cleaning those paws of yours?
What if you recited a Loving Kindness mantra instead?
New to the idea of Loving Kindness (or Metta) meditation?
Loving-Kindness Meditation focuses on developing feelings of goodwill, kindness, and warmth towards other people. There is some evidence that Loving-Kindness Meditation may help to provide relief from pain and illness and to improve emotional resilience. I think it just makes you feel better.
The process is simple – Using repetition of compassionate phrases to imbed them into your subconscious. Essentially, the phrases are used as an anchor to feel more grounded, content and loving towards yourself and others.
The phrases I use in my meditation are:
May you be well and happy.
May you live with grace and ease
May you be free of pain.
May you be peaceful.
May your heart be filled with love, kindness and compassion.
Of course, you don’t have to be a seasoned meditator to do the Loving Kindness Hand Wash. If you’re a bit of an ANTI-meditator, simply consider it an alternative to the Happy Birthday song, and a way to send a few warm-fuzzies out into the world at a time when spreading a little extra love and kindness is so sorely needed.
Want to join me?
It’s very simple (and easy!). All you do is recite the Loving Kindness mantra – with intention (<– that’s important) – twice while washing your hands.
Make it meaningful. Take your time and focus on slowly and sincerely reciting the Loving Kindness mantra. It should take you at least 20 seconds of washing.
To help me remember, I created a wee post-card sized prompter for my bathroom mirror. I’ve been reciting my Loving Kindness mantra every time I wash my hands and I have to say – it’s kind of helping me to calm my fajizzle down a smidge. I’m hooked.(I actually do this aloud and happily don’t care what anyone might think.)
When I mentioned my Loving Kindness Hand Wash ritual to a few friends, they loved the idea, too.
And now, I’m sharing my post-card prompter with you, too…
Full transparency – I can’t take credit for this idea. I first heard it mentioned on a Dan Harris Ten Percent Happier podcast and I loved it! I mean I really loved it.
How Germs Spread & WHY WASHING YOUR HANDS MATTERS SO MUCH
Pretty sure I’m preaching to the choir here, but just in case let’s just take a moment to talk about why this hand-washing caper is so important. Especially, now.
Washing your hands can help to prevent the spread of infections from one person to another. In other words, simply washing your hands can go a long way to keep you healthy.
Germy-Jims can spread from person to person, or from surface to person when you:
- Touch your face with unwashed hands – specifically your eyes, nose, and mouth
- Prepare or eat food and drinks with unwashed hands
- Touch a surface or object that is contaminated
- Blow your nose, cough, or sneeze into your hands and then touch other people’s hands or common objects
As a general rule, you should be washing your hands AT LEAST:
- Before, during, and after preparing food
- Before eating food
- Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick
- After using the bathroom (and this includes after helping a child use the bathroom)
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
- After touching an animal, animal toys and belongings, or animal waste
- After handling pet food or pet treats
- After touching garbage
During this time of COVID-19, you should also wash those hands of yours:
- After you have been in any public place
- After you have touched anything that may be frequently touched by other people. I’m talking door handles, shopping trolleys, petrol pumps, ATM machines
- Before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth – be extra vigilant about this during this time
To help spread a little more loving kindness and to receive your own copy of the Loving Kindness Hand Wash for your bathroom – delivered straight to your inbox, just fill out this form:
I have totally been doing this. I realized early on that washing my hands was making me feel tight and stressed. As a way to let go of that, I decided that doing the loving kindness meditation would help me relax. And, it worked. I highly encourage and support this 🙂 Not that you needed feedback from an Internet rando but there it is 🙂
Sunny, you gorgeous woman. Thanks for stopping by. NICE feedback from internet randos is always welcome.
May you be well and happy.