To practice mindfulness, you first learn to be aware of the present moment. Next, you learn to be aware of your thoughts and feelings.
In the same way, you learn to be mindful of your actions. You begin to see that your thoughts and emotions affect your actions. Your actions then change your thoughts and emotions. This feedback loop of thoughts and emotions makes you aware of how you are living your life.
This awareness helps you to become more aware of the world. You are not separate from everything else. Instead, you are connected to all of the people, animals, trees, and other things in the world. This practice of being mindful can help you develop greater compassion and awareness for others and yourself.
Praying for compassion can be a powerful way to cultivate the kind of care and respect for yourself that you can share with others.
Begin by sitting in a comfortable position. Sit upright with the spine straight.
Close your eyes and breathe naturally. Notice the contact with the seat.
As you begin to pray, imagine yourself as a mother who holds her baby in her arms. You can imagine your own baby, or imagine a baby you know. Feel the sense of connection to your child. Imagine how you would look at the baby and how you might love it.
You can imagine the experience of holding your child in your arms. Notice the weight of the body, the warmth of the skin, and the feeling of the breath flowing through the body. Feel the contact with the hands and arms.
Now open the hands, allowing your awareness to fill the palms. Notice the sensations in your fingers, and feel the weight of the arms and shoulders.
Bring your attention to the breath as you inhale and exhale. Be with the experience of the breath moving in and out of the body.
Feel the weight of the heart and lungs as they move with the breath.
Bring your attention to the mind and body as a whole.
Notice the body breathing and the movement of the body.
Imagine that you are looking at yourself and your body.
Breathe deeply, filling the belly. Notice the sense of gravity and the weight of the body.
Breathe out fully, letting go of the experience of the body breathing.
Breathe in slowly.
Imagine that you are looking at the body and the breath as a whole.
You are seeing your own heart and breathing. Breathe deeply, filling the belly and feeling the weight of the body.
Breathe out fully, letting go of the experience of the body breathing.
Breathe in slowly.
Notice your thoughts and feelings.
You are seeing your own thoughts and feelings. Notice what you notice. Be with the awareness of your thoughts and feelings.
You can notice the thoughts and feelings that come and go in the mind.
Breathe deeply, filling the belly.
Breathing out, let go of your mind.
Breathing in, bring awareness to the breath as a whole.
Breathe out fully, letting go of the experience of the body breathing.
Breathe in slowly.
Close your eyes and bring your attention back to the body.
Open your eyes.
Continue to practice prayer for 15 minutes.
It’s easy to get caught in the mind, thinking about yourself and how you need to change. In the beginning of this practice, you may feel frustrated or confused.
But with patience, kindness, and the guidance of a teacher, you can work with these feelings.
You can pray for compassion for yourself, as you would for another person, and then apply the same kind of self-care to yourself.
This is a practice of mindful self-care. It doesn’t mean that you are not compassionate, but it does help you to feel compassion for yourself.
Begin by sitting comfortably, allowing your body to relax.
Imagine that you are asking for self-compassion.
Say to yourself: Please help me to be kind to myself.
Ask for forgiveness for anything you have done to harm yourself.
Repeat this prayer in your mind several times, or just one time if you wish.
Bring your attention back to the sensations of the body. If you feel pain or frustration in the body, acknowledge it.
Try to be gentle with yourself, noticing what you need. You may need rest, or you may be feeling out of balance. Be patient with yourself and try to notice the moment-to-moment sensations.
As you continue praying for self-compassion, imagine that you are asking for the same compassion from someone you care about.
Say to yourself: I ask for compassion for myself.
Please be kind to me.
Ask for forgiveness for anything that I have done to harm you.
May you forgive yourself. May you forgive me. May we find room in our hearts to find compassion for one another.
Be gentle with yourself.
Continue this practice as long as you’d like.
When you’re ready, close your eyes and return to your body. Feel the sensations of the body, and allow your thoughts to settle.
Breathe deeply for a few minutes, resting your awareness on the breath.
Your prayers for compassion may seem like you’re praying for yourself. You might think, “What does this have to do with me? I’m just praying.” But the truth is that if you are unable to extend compassion to yourself, you will be unable to extend it to others.
It’s impossible to have compassion for yourself without having compassion for others. The two go hand in hand.
In this prayer, you will offer yourself compassion and then pray for a friend to receive the same.
Close the eyes and find a comfortable posture in which to sit. Begin by noticing the sensations of the body breathing.
Bring to mind a friend that you’d like to pray for compassion for.
When your mind settles, imagine yourself sitting on a porch swing, in a quiet spot where you can talk to this person. It may be a conversation or a monologue; you decide.
Ask your friend what they want, what their biggest struggles are, what brings them joy, and what they would like to see change. They may have some things they’d like to say back to you.
If you can, spend a few moments listening to this person. Notice what your friend is feeling. You may feel uncomfortable at first, but eventually you may start to understand them better.
Ask your friend, “Do you know what you like about yourself?”
You may be surprised at what they say. Even if they tell you what they don’t like about themselves, just notice the parts of themselves that they like.
After a few moments of listening, acknowledge the things they like about themselves. You may hear some of what they said, and you may even hear some more.
If it feels appropriate, pray for yourself, thanking God for the good that you have created within yourself.
Once your prayers are complete, offer a few words of wisdom. Tell your friend, “There is something I like about you.”
Tell them what you like about them, what they might need to hear, and what you want to see in them.
Then pray for the rest of the people in your life. Pray that they may have the courage to be compassionate toward themselves and others.
Invite your friend to respond with any prayers they’d like to share. Let them know you are listening.
Close the eyes and notice the sensations of the body breathing.
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