Compassionate Practice

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” Dalai Lama

You are deserving of love and kindness.

We all need help to make it through challenging times. Or, even just to make sense and make our way day-by-day. We are not meant to be alone on this life journey. Yet, we live in increasingly isolating times.

If you have experienced injury and trauma in the course of relationships, it may be difficult to trust and form meaningful connections with others. This lack of connection can lead to increased stress and anxiety, as you feel alone in facing life’s challenges.

With patience, compassion and skillful support, it is possible to rebuild trust, cultivate connection and regain your sense of worth and well-being after stress, trauma or loss.

You have within you tremendous resources and capacities for growth and positive transformation.

There is a Japanese artistic tradition in which shattered pieces of pottery are rejoined with gold resin to make a vessel whole and functional again. The practice is known as Kintsukuroi or Golden Mend. When a bowl breaks it is an opportunity to create something uniquely beautiful.

This can serve as a metaphor for how to live in a creative relationship with your life. It is possible to recreate your life anew. You can accept and even find meaning in experiences that you would rather avoid or discard. You can survive loss and grief, and live to enjoy life again. You can be with, and also transform, feelings of sadness, hurt, shame, anger, disappointment or confusion.

In working carefully with the so-called broken aspects of your life, with the support of a compassionate and attuned helper, transformation and healing are possible.

You have the innate potential for wholeness, vitality and belonging in the world.