Self Compassion is powerful ally on our quest for self mastery.
Self Compassion leads us to the healing grounds of awareness, acceptance and guidance and away from the often damaging world of ignorance, neglect and self criticism.
From this space we can move forward from pain, suffering, set backs, vulnerabilities and challenges from a place of self acceptance and love.
But it’s not always and easy thing to do.
It takes courage to accept and get close the parts of ourselves that hurt.
It takes humility to recognise that we too suffer, just like everyone else and that we too are deserving of compassion, acceptance and love (even when we don’t really think we do)
It takes discipline and will to break habits that don’t serve us and start ones that do.
Next time your you’r feeling down, life’s not going your way or you know you’re being too hard on yourself have a crack at the below exercise
Your Destiny is in Your Hands
Creative Self Compassion Practice
What you’ll need
2 pieces of paper
1 black pen/pencil
Some coloured pens/pencil
1. On the first piece of paper draw a circle.
This represents you. Inside that circle, with the black pen write or draw phrases, words or pictures that sum up the difficulties you’d like to work with.
This could be nasty or unhelpful thoughts you have about yourself or difficult situations in your life.
There may be many or just one or two.
When you feel you’ve got down all you are willing to work with move to 2.
2. Using the coloured pencils write compassionate, warm hearted kind responses to the difficulties your facing.
These could be emphatic words or phrases ( “I hear you” , “wow, that must be tough”),
advice or affirmations or anything else that feels right.
When you’ve filled the page or feel like you’re complete move to 3.
3. Take out the second piece of paper - draw another circle - inside this circle use the coloured pens to write the essence of the compassionate words you used to fill the first sheet. Fill the circle up or continue to write until you feel you’ve finished then move to 4.
4. Feel the essence of that second circle - try to embody and feel the energy of what you’ve written.
This exercise may seem a little strange and part of you may think you’re above this sort of practice - I strongly encourage you to give it a go if you’re doing it tough.
The paradox of self compassion is often when we need it the most we don’t think we deserve it.
Be courageous.
The paradox of self compassion is Self compassion can appear to be a soft discipline (and there are eliments of self compassion that are soft) but in-bedded in the practice is courage, discipline and a willingness to act.
Self compassion It can be much more productive and whole approach to personal growth, wellbeing and self mastery t
When wallowing in a state of self pity or just being stuck in a space of self criticism it can be can be hard for to step into the healing space of self compassion far from making as soft, self compassion allows us to grow from a space of love, acceptance and kindness.
as opposed from ruminating and wallowing in a space of self pity, hate and