Page 83 - Nursing: The Philosophy and Science of Caring

fr om caratIve fact or 1 to C a r i t as Pr oC e s s 1
allowing one to authentically access and feel the loving-kindness and
equanimity one longs to feel, which flow naturally once the negative
space has been emptied out.
Once the other feelings have finished welling up and passing away,
loving-kindness feelings pour into the vibrating space where before
one held pain. Once this practice has been cultivated, one is able to
relate to others with this practice as a professional Caritas act.
As we learn to cultivate the practice of Loving-Kindness and
Equanimity as part of our preparation for Caritas Consciousness, we
have entered a new level of personal and professional transformation
that affects everything we know, do, and “be” in our work and world.
Strategies for formal meditation practices are available through a vari-
ety of workshops, books, and tapes and on the Internet.
I especially recommend the Web site of Shinzen Young (http://
shinzen.org). He has audiotapes online; his core practices, which one
can experience by listening to him, are available at no cost; there are
also written materials and information about Vipassana Meditation,
Mindfulness Meditation, equanimity, and so on. His many other books,
tapes, and similar materials can also be ordered on the site.
The first Caritas Process: Cultivation of Loving-Kindness and
Equanimity, has introduced simple beginning touchstones, exercises,
affirmations, Centering exercises, and an overview of Mindfulness
Meditation. Options exist to step into this personal/professional prep-
aration at whatever level, whenever one is ready. To pursue this prac-
tice systematically and formally is a lifelong journey. A formal com-
mitment to find one’s own practice and preparation for this work can
make all the difference in one’s career. Meditation is an invitation for
lifelong personal growth so we become the living theory of caring, the
ones accessing the Caritas Field/Becoming the Caritas Field in our work
and our world.

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