The Magical Power of Giving Blessings
Feb 01, 2026A Special Moment at School Drop-Off
Today, I dropped my children off at school for their very first day after the long Australian school holidays. It was an especially big moment for our family because my three younger children are starting at a new school. As any parent knows, the first day of school always carries a mix of emotion, hope, and nervous excitement.
The school they’re attending is a Christian school. While dropping my daughter off at preschool, I witnessed a sweet exchange between another mother and her little girl. As she kissed her daughter goodbye, she said, “Have a beautiful day, and may God bless you.”
It was such a simple, gentle moment but that small blessing stayed with me and opened my heart to reflect on how rarely we offer blessings so openly in everyday life.
Why Blessings Are Missing From Modern Culture
In our fast-paced, modern society, offering blessings is no longer part of daily conversation for many of us. We often forget how powerful a simple wish for someone’s well-being can be.
That moment reminded me of the many ways we can consciously offer love, care, and intention for others—to wish that they may feel protected, supported, and deeply loved.
The Magical Power of Giving Blessings: Sharon Gannon’s Teaching
This reflection brought me back to a teaching from my longtime teacher, Sharon Gannon, co-founder of Jivamukti Yoga. She calls this practice “The Magical Power of Giving Blessings.”
When I first encountered this teaching, I remember questioning it:
Who am I to give blessings? I’m not a guru or an enlightened being.
But Sharon patiently explained that every human being has the ability to offer blessings. A blessing is simply a heartfelt intention—that another person may experience love, peace, and divine presence in their life. There is no ego or arrogance in this act, only compassion.
How to Practice Giving Blessings Silently and Privately
Sharon suggests that blessings are best offered silently and privately. This isn’t about announcing blessings to everyone we meet. Instead, it’s an inner spiritual practice.
During daily interactions, meditation, or personal sadhana, we can gently hold others in our awareness and silently offer thoughts such as:
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May they be blessed
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May they experience joy and love
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May they feel supported and protected
This practice becomes especially powerful when we extend blessings to those we find difficult—people we’re struggling with, those we disagree with, or even figures of authority whose actions trouble us.
Blessing Those We Struggle With: A Radical Spiritual Act
Offering blessings to people we find challenging (including political leaders or authority figures) is a deeply transformative act. In essence, this is prayer.
We are asking that they be supported by divine love, that their hearts may open, and that compassion may guide their actions.
In a world filled with crisis, disconnection, polarity, and suffering, giving blessings is a quiet yet radical act of healing—for humanity and for ourselves.
The Buddhist Practice of Metta Bhavana (Loving-Kindness Meditation)
This practice also connects beautifully with a Buddhist meditation known as Metta Bhavana.
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Metta means unconditional love or loving-kindness
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Bhavana refers to cultivating or embodying a state of being
Metta is more than friendliness—it is the sincere wish that another being may experience happiness, safety, peace, and well-being, regardless of personal opinions or differences.
The Structure of Metta Meditation
In Metta Bhavana, loving-kindness is offered in stages:
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To ourselves
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To loved ones
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To neutral people (such as a shopkeeper or acquaintance)
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To those we struggle with
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To all beings everywhere
This practice helps dissolve judgment, self-righteousness, and emotional compartmentalization. It softens the heart and expands compassion.
Expanding Loving-Kindness to the World
As the practice deepens, Metta expands beyond individuals—to our homes, schools, hospitals, communities, neighborhoods, countries, and eventually the entire world.
It can feel almost physical, as if loving-kindness is radiating outward from the heart space, touching everything it encounters.
Healing Ourselves While Healing the World
While this practice is offered for the benefit of others, it also transforms us. Every blessing we give, every moment of loving-kindness we cultivate, ripples back inward.
In times of global suffering and uncertainty, these heart-centered spiritual practices remind us of our connection to the Divine and to one another.
They offer a way to contribute (not through action alone) but through presence, intention, and love.
Find the full meditation here https://jivamuktiyoga.com/fotm/magical-power-giving-blessings/
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