Basic Self-Compassion Process
Practice:
To practice self-compassion as needed, follow these specific self-compassion steps.
- Sensitize your mindfulness skills to become aware of your immediate experience of suffering.
- Hold a strong intention to respond with self-kindness. Use self-talk to be kind to yourself.
- Begin by softening your body. Relax your muscles, tendons, joints. Hold a natural half smile on your face.
- It may help to move your body gently.
- Use your “self-loving breath” to enhance calmness in the body. Slow, deep in and slow, deep out as you smile.
- Place mental attention on emotional experiences that were pleasant for you. Recall with all your senses.
- Utilize any helpful, caring interpersonal relationships you have in the self-compassion process.
- Seek out your experiential spiritual center and inhabit it. Go there with you mind-heart.
- Practice loving kindness meditation for yourself.
- Notice! Rest!
Inspired and influenced by the work of C. Germer and K. Neff. Especially Germer, C. and Neff, K. (April, 2016). Mindful Self-Compassion.
By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC
From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont
Author of Mindful Happiness
Greetings! Very helpful advice on this article! It is the little changes that make the biggest changes. Thanks a lot for sharing!