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2.2 | What have you learned from / observed in your stance of daily life self-compassion practice?
Below, you will see the Session #2 reflection questions. Please answer these questions at the bottom of the screen.
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45 Replies
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It is very hard for me to focus on self compassion. I find myself feeling bored, antsy, uncomfortable focusing on myself. I wonder if it’s just learned gender socialization of being raised as a girl/woman and taught to care for others? It’s downright difficult to dedicate time for myself- this has been a lifelong problem.
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I’ve been trying to focus more on self compassion interwoven into my regular (focused awareness) practice, as well as focusing on the ATTITUDE of gentle self compassion when I stray. It has certainly added a tone of gentleness to myself, as well as when I lead others in meditation. “When the mind wanders, “GENTLY, AND WITH COMPASSION”, bring it back…
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Self compassion and radical acceptance are essential tools in my daily practice now. I have been able to integrate them more. Sometimes, when I get sick or I don’t have enough energy to do everything that I aspire to do, I can be more accepting with the conditions. Likewise, when others are struggling or suffering, I can relate to their suffering and empathize. My self-compassion practice is often tapping on the experiences of those around me. It also brings joy to me because I can be more gentle with myself.
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Self-compassion comes more easily for me right now in life. I’m reminded to use loving-kindness and just like me phrase to cultivate compassion towards myself and that I am not alone in my experience.
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With the cultivation of a compassion practice during meditation, I have found it easier to remember the practice off the cushion. It’s been helpful to remember the question “what would be wisely compassionate to myself in this moment?” and I’ve been able to make choices around my time and energy and health that prioritized what I needed to do to take care of myself. With that lens it was easier to give myself permission to do what I needed.
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I feel as though I’ve been more understanding when I fail to meet the expectations that I have set for myself and obligations that I have taken on sometimes under duress. I can’t expect myself to be productive / work all of the time, and I’m in a longer term “down cycle” now that has a number of confounding factors. I can more readily accept that than just be self-critical for not achieving the outcomes I had hoped or planned to accomplish.
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The more care I genuinely take of myself, the more I am in a position to genuinely care for others, at work as at home. Whenever I forget or overlook tending to my mind’s and body’s needs (which often just requires a recognition and an acknowledgement – like in the RAIN approach), I am then less patient and compassionate with others.
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I continue to find this to be the most difficult part of the practice. It really requires me to be tuned into years of an inner monologue that I recognize now doesn’t need to be status quo. I have recognized through trying this practice to be more accepting of who I am, what I have to contribute and how to better face obstacles by first being kind and compassionate to self which feeds the other foundational areas.
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I am always surprised when I enter into practice and find that I continue to need to work on self-compassion.This is a life work and I keep chipping away at it!
Self compassion is intricately interwoven with self-love, Metta for Myself, and I am still learning to make room, make the space in my heart to love myself, and carry compassion in my heart for me as well as all the folks and beings and animals I love and care for. When I am actively connected to the experience of selfcompassion and self Metta, it is an open spacious feeling in my heart and head. a feeling of…”hey, it’s oK…let it be” -
I notice how much easier it is to be self-compassionate when it is a regular practice. It is like breathing in a deep fresh breath of air instead of resisting, clenching, and fighting thoughts. Self-compassion is so healing and such a vulnerable feeling to experience.
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I’ve found the formal practice very profound and found the informal very helpful, practical and healing in daily life when I remember to incorporate it– whether it is my reaction to small things such as hunting for my keys to reflecting on my day and what I was trying to be/ achieve versus what actually happened. It gives me more space and a quicker recovery for myself and allows me to then give more for others.
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When I take this in to leadership situations, interactions flow much more easily and fluidly.
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I have learned that I am much more grounded and aligned with how I want to be in the world. I am more patient, kind, thoughtful, and flexible. It is also easier for me to trust and this is HUGE.
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I’m so resistant! When I try I get very distracted and I start hoping for a more passive breathing meditation. However, I’m noticing day to day I make small attempts to use phrases of kindness with myself when I’m beating myself up.
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I enjoy and find ease with the metta compassion practices, as they bring me back to my Buddhist studies that opened my eyes to a deep interconnectedness with all sentient beings.
Applying metta to my self is something that feels more “new” to me, however, and I recognize that this has been a gap in my practice. Combining Metta for others with metta for self has been eye-opening. Thinking of myself just as I would think of others allowed me to exercise greater inward compassion, patience, nonjudgement, and empathy for my own experience.
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