Open to the suffering of others
- Imagine a person close to you who is in pain from an illness or a significant loss.
- Observe the reactions that arise in you: feelings of helplessness, desire to help, fear, etc.
Observe your own contraction
- Note how these reactions serve to "protect" you from discomfort
- Bring attention to your discomfort and note the contraction associated with it
Bring attention to the contraction
- Gently, bring attention to the contraction. If it releases, you will experience the pain of the person more fully and the contraction will then reset.
- Do this over and over again until you can hold the contraction in attention.
Let the contraction release to uncover compassion
- At some point, the contraction collapses. You are just present with the person you have imagined and his or her pain. Your heart is open and you have no need to avoid, close down, control or distance. You are free to respond to the needs of the other.
Extend compassion to all areas of life
- Once you have tasted compassion, extend the meditation to all areas of life, working first with people for whom compassion comes easily, then with progressively more difficult people and situations. As you discover new areas of contraction, repeat the process outlined above to work through them.
Instructions for meditation on all four immeasurables (loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity) can be found in Wake Up to Your Life.
Feel free to print this page
for your meditation practice
Timeframe for this practice and signs of assimilation
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