January 2025 — Even Now, Love

Click here to get straight to the Community Reflections.

This is a month-long community practice. It's not a Challenge and there's nothing to Join. 🤩

On January 1st, 2025 you'll find a new Course in the app titled Even Now, Love. We'll be practicing the lessons in this course together throughout the month of January.

If you have this article open on the same phone you use for the app, tap the picture below to watch the introduction from Joseph and the other teachers.

This year the teachers are feeling passionate about practice and about building the capacity we all have to wish ourselves and others well. We'll be training to make moments of kindness more regular — and notice when they happen.

Based on feedback from all of you, this year's event is different than previous years. Here's what it looks like.

• Meditate in community!
  • We'll all meditate together with the new course, Even Now, Love, throughout the month of January.
    • Of course you can use other content too.
  • Share what you're learning, your insights, and reflections throughout the month. You can share through the links in the emails you'll get or click here, Even Now, Love: Practice Reflections.
  • Once we get going, we'll share reflections from us at Happier Meditation as we sit with you, and insights you share with the group. If you give permission, we'll share it with the community. Scroll down to see the reflections we've gotten so far with permission for everyone to read.
• Learn how to practice more deeply with a meditation.
  • Look for emails throughout the month that include prompts on how to repeat the meditations in the Even Now, Love course in ways that can help you explore more deeply, find new insights and absorb the ideas.
• Practice on your own schedule.
  • We hear you! No more tracking your progress, no more feeling badly if you miss a day. We've all got busy lives too. 😊
  • You can practice every day, once a week or anything in between. There's no penalty for missing a day and the prize at the end is, we hope, that you feel happier and stronger.

To share Happier Meditation and the Even Now, Love with friends and family, send them a free Guest Pass! Read more about how to do that here: Share the Happier Meditation App. Your recipient doesn't need to enter a credit card or cancel anything to give it a try.

Community Reflections

What’s coming up for you in loving-kindness meditation?

• Trying hard to repair the rift between my youngest daughter and myself! J. F.
• More of a calmness. V.M.
• Setting a goal to feel this for the first 2 seconds when interacting with anyone during the day R.A.
• Calmer. M.M.

• While I'm still learning to remember to state the loving-kindness phrases with regularity, this morning I noticed a residual calm and ease as I moved into my morning activities.

  I appreciate the direction to focus on carrying the feeling into daily life. S.T.

• Less anxiety. More joy. Less irritation. L.S.
• I’m smiling more. S.M.
• Today, as I was grocery shopping, I realized I was getting peeved about others’ actions - when I’d wanted to be more open to others’ behaviors and unknown motivations. With that bit of mindfulness I smiled. And through the rest of my errand I smiled at each person I interacted with. Some smiled back, most didn’t, but I felt better - and I felt more equanimity about the world around me. I’ll try to remember to do this more often. T.B.
• I stopped trying to breathe "right" M.F.
• Yes I would say I’m softening toward the phrases and appreciate Joseph’s way of presenting them, which I find to be a little novel to me. I need more goodwill in my life, and I am focusing on how I can generate it myself with the help of meditation. P.W.
• Feeling a little more balanced. L.E.
• Not to much. anonymous
• Trying to keep thoughts of goodwill ongoing throughout the day. Especially while driving! L.C.
• An addendum to my initial reply… I’m thinking of getting a dog!!! L.C.
• Yes, it IS a choice. That’s empowering. M.B.
• I have enjoyed the app for a long time. Started I’m guessing ten years ago. I do make an effort to connect with people ( even just a smile) because I’m aware lots of people are fine with it. I try to take the time more. C.D.
• I sometimes extend good wishes to others as I walk with my dog. I appreciated the reminder to do this in this cold month. It warms my heart center and makes my already happy walks even happier. L.S.
• Matthew’s words today about how deep self loathing can be touched me. I am grateful for his candor and am going to try to speak kindness to myself more than just in practice. B.W.
• Not yet, maybe I have to do it more often. G.S.
• I have used dogs as my "easy being" for kindness practice for years. You should feature more dogs! :) Phrases haven't been my go-to. I prefer the idea of abiding and spreading the feeling, so this meditation was a good one. Thank you. A.G.
• Yes definitely. Much more at ease and open with people who I tend to react to. anonymous
• I find myself offering goodwill to others as I go about my day. Keeps me present and aware of others. M.S.
• Relaxing and resting in January. H.R.
• My heart feels warmer and fuller, this fullness replaces the feelings of restlessness and anxiety. J.K.
• Loved the dog. So easy to feel loving kindness to a pet. M.L.
• I’m noticing that I’m not seeking validation from others as much as I used to; instead, I’m starting to draw from an internal well of self-compassion. ❤️ J.R.
• Be kind to others. A.
• While doing the meditation it feels like a space is opened in my chest, I feel a lightness and a sort of excitement as if something good is coming (not sure I’ve explained that last feeling well. I don’t find describing my feelings in words easy.) E.M.
• More lightness. J.S.