Cultivating a Compassionate Mind: Step 3
April 3, 2023 | 5 CommentsAudio-only version is here.
Meditation practice begins at 14:21.
Dear Open Heart Project,
Welcome to the third video in our series: Cultivating a Compassionate Mind. We’ve discussed Affection for the World and Faith in the Right Situations so far.
Now we come to Compassion for Sentient Beings. This may sound straightforward, like, of course! If I want to cultivate a mind of compassion, I should feel compassion for…everyone. Okay, maybe. But here, “everyone” begins with you. How able are you to feel compassion for the sentient being who is reading these words?
Please have a listen to this short talk to hear more about the meaning of compassion, why it has to start with you, the importance of meditation—and a story about what I learned when someone told me to eff off and almost destroyed my creative and financial life. Seriously!! I also reference my dear friend Micheal Carroll, whose wisdom you have the opportunity to access when you join us and Loden Nyima for a retreat in Colorado this summer (details here).
With love,
Susan
categorized in: meditation, open heart project
5 Comments
Thank you Susan. I haven’t been able to take advantage of your gift becoz I didn’t have internet access until now. I realize how much I missed it and will try to do it daily. I miss your kitty;one of mine (18 yrs)is on my lap now.
Namaste
Candy Patrice
Thank you. I have to remember that feeling compassion toward myself comes before feeling/radiating compassion toward others.
Hi Susan,
Do you have a donation button or a venmo link? I would love to give a little something for the times I meditate with you. Thank you, Judith
I can connect to having compassion for me when I’ve been wronged, however I found it too overwhelming to soften the remorse or release the guilt I feel for those many times I unintentionally hurt and caused distress to others by being unavailable or dismissive. Will this dissipate in time?
This was perfect timing. Thank you for the personal story. I was thinking of quitting my practice, believing that I just was a failure and your story was a true aha
moment for me. I have increased my meditation time and it feels right.