-
2.2 | What have you learned from / observed in your stance of daily life self-compassion practice?
-
What have you learned from / observed in your stance of daily life self-compassion practice?
I feel more peaceful. I become less irritated and more patient. I become less critical. Life is bigger than the nuances I am dealing with at work. I have the space to accommodate conflicts and differences.
-
I learned that this is an area where I really need to work on. It does not come easy and even trying, I have been having difficulty on this practice.
-
I think I’m relatively okay with self-compassion. A few years ago I took intensive courses in metta and self-compassion and that helped me a lot.
-
When I love myself, I love my flaws, my imperfections and I give myself grace for missteps, I find I am more generous in giving grace to others for what I may see as flaws, imperfections and missteps; whether they be people I know and love close at hand or those with whom I dont particularly resonate. Metta practice has a reverberation effect – you send it out, but then it seeems to bounce back onto you, and you are able to send it out stronger, and it bounces back onto you stronger. Same thing with forgiveness, you send it out, and when that energy rebounds back to you, you discover the grudge you held has less power, and is beginning to drop away.
-
I’ve observed many moments of self-compassion during my day. Recently, I recalled an event that really shuck me and I immediately put my hand on my chest and began slowing rocking back and forth. It was so comforting. I could feel the feelings of shock yet I could also feel care for myself in the midst of it all. I also noticed that several times during that day when the memory resurfaced that I again reflexively put my hand on my chest and rocked. It truly helped my get through the day with more ease.
-
I’m learning that self-compassion is a brand new concept for me. Perhaps I know how to spoil myself but the idea of kindness, nurture and softness pointed inward is foreign. I like the idea of being easier on myself. I’ve been letting things go a bit more and will continue to see how it feels.
-
Different from what I’ve read here, today I feel it’s easy to do self compassion practice. However, it does not mean I do not have moments where I’m unkind to myself. It only means that when I intentionally pay attention and set myself to be loving to myself, I can. I have practiced that a lot. It has been a major practice for me.
-
While I practice self compassion daily I can sometimes fall into old habit patterns where I have “higher” expectations for myself that the way I may have shown up that day. Then I have to remind myself that this isn’t helpful for anyone, least of all me and look inside to see what’s going on. Am I tired, am I sad, do I feel pressure? More often than not, I can be sweet to myself and say we can always begin again. It’s a chance to being again.That it very supportive.
-
I have learned that it is easy to get distracted.
-
I have appreciated an ease with my children (teenagers. one in college) and with my partner that is lovely and spacious. Pretty amazing. It feels like the cultivation in my practice is opening a space where I can land within my own self in relationships. I have historically experienced relationships (any) as a vehicle to drain me, exploit me, gas-light me… and all those things happen in my relationships when I am not “with” me. This practice has connected me with myself in a way that feels truly trustworthy and real in ways I was not expecting. I wonder if this is possible, what else is?
-
Self-compassion is challenging but ripples like a stone in a pond into expanding circles of metta. After recent challenges, carrying loads, working to protect others and experiencing personal danger, it is taking some time to rebuild inner strength and trust. While I struggle with self-compassion practice, I appreciate quiet moments of patience and pause, enabling a sense of safety and at times even a quiet humor (as Jack Kornfield has compared mindful training to training a puppy: stay, again stay, again stay), reconnecting with curiosity and an opening heart.
-
Self-Compassion is something that I have been trying to cultivate for a long time, and I am grateful for this opportunity to remember that. It is so not a part of my nature – the judgement and self-criticism that have been so much of my daily response to myself for decades is so hard to undo – but I do know that it is possible with practice. I have taken to repeating a phrase from Nikki’s guidance – I am doing the best that I can, I am doing the best that I can, I am doing the best that I can. Working on feeling/paying attention to the difference in my body – what does kindness to self feel like? How does it feel different than judgment and self-criticism? Which serves me better? How do I turn from the well worn path of judgement to the one of kindness and compassion? One breath, one thought at a time. I am doing the best that I can.
-
Even a tinge of application of self-compassion is healing my world in a profound way. I see the old hurts and how they have driven my story. As I wake today and be today I have a full bountiful opportunity to be kinder from the inside out. This is truly making me curious about what you have to share. It is hard. I go right back into my busy head…a lot…but I am seeing myself there now and I see the path back to soft.
-
I find myself more or less effective at this practice depending on my workload and worries. But overall, I’m cultivating a more regular window and routine in which for this practice to flourish. And I’m finding it enriching. I’m experiencing less self-judgement, less negative thoughts, and more calm.
-
When I remember to do it, it is such a balm for parts of myself that I don’t accept. So valuable.
Log in to reply.