How to meditate on a Virtue
and develop it

Virtues are the best of our human potentials. They are our spiritual (or soul) qualities, at first latent within us, like seeds, then actualized (or developed) with understanding, nurturance and self-practice.

By meditating and reflecting upon a virtue, this latent self-quality can be understood better, developed, and brought forth into expression,
to become an actualized quality of our being. An additional step in meditating on a virtue is to radiate-out or send-forth this quality into the world, in order to catalyze and nurture this quality in others.

Meditating on a virtue can be quite simple – just hold it in mind, understand it, and affirm your will to express it. But for the most effectiveness, read these suggestions before meditating and practice the steps. The meditation time can be just 5-15 minutes. Meditation requires focus, but also a relaxed and open-minded attitude.

Don't expect a complete understanding about a virtue in just one meditation. In each meditation practice, you might have just a few insights, and that’s great. You might realize some things one day and other things the next day. Also, in one meditation period you might just do one or two parts of these suggestions, or just ask one or two of the questions, then in the next meditation session you might consider other questions. In other words, it’s not necessary to do all of these suggestions in each and every meditation. There is no exact right way nor necessary way to meditate on a virtue. Have an attitude of no expectations, no pressure, no judgment. Every meditation period will bring its own unique success.

Steps to develop a virtue

1. Choose a virtue to meditate on and actualize.
2. Imagine yourself having this virtue or expressing it.
3. Understand what this virtue is and how it is expressed.
4. Affirm this virtue as a quality or attitude in your self and in life.
5. Express this virtue in you life everywhere and anytime.

Practice and express this virtue, in order to further develop it.
In meditation think about how-to personally express this virtue or become it; think about ways to express or manifest this virtue in life. Visualize this. Feel in yourself an honest desire to have this virtue.

Meditation Steps

Imagine the virtue

• — imagine having the virtue and expressing it
• — experience or feel the virtue in oneself

Understand the virtue

• — what is the meaning of this virtue?
• — how is this virtue expressed?
• — what are some qualities related to this virtue?
• — how is this virtue good or important in life?

Become the virtue

• — feel that you have this virtue
• — visualise expressing this virtue
• — affirm that you will manifest this virtue

Radiate the virtue

• — be a radiance of this virtue
• — visualise the virtue streaming into humanity

Here is an example of the meditation
Any virtue could be applied, but let's use kindness as an example

Imagine kindness

• —   imagine having kindness or expressing kindness
• —   imagine being kind
• —   experience or feel how it is to be kind

Understand kindness

• —   what is the meaning of kindness?
• —   how is kindness expressed?
• —   what are some qualities related to kindness?
• —   what is the goodness that comes for kindness?
• —   why is kindness important?

Become kindness

• —   feel that you have kindness and that you are kind
• —   visualise expressing kindness
• —   affirm that you will manifest kindness

Radiate kindness

• — be a radiance of kindness
• — visualise kindness streaming into humanity

Here is another example – peacefulness

Imagine peacefulness

• —   imagine having peacefulness or expressing peacefulness
• —   imagine being peaceful
• —   experience or feel how it is to be peaceful

Understand peacefulness

• —   what is the meaning of peacefulness?
• —   how is peacefulness expressed?
• —   what are some qualities related to peacefulness?
• —   what is the goodness that comes for peacefulness?
• —   why is peacefulness important?

Become peacefulness

• —   feel that you have peacefulness and that you are peaceful
• —   visualise expressing peacefulness
• —   affirm that you will manifest peacefulness

Radiate peacefulness

• — be a radiance of peacefulness
• — visualise peacefulness streaming into humanity

Virtues and Values.net