Self Compassion

Based on Buddhist meditations as well as mindfulness-based programmes, forms of practice have developed for cultivating warmth of heart and compassion. These include methods to develop more compassion for one’s own suffering states (self-compassion), as well as compassion training to develop more altruism, i.e. compassion for others. In fact, compassion is the essential mindset on the bodhisattva path. It is also the state of mind that is said to be the outcome of all Buddhist meditations, coupled with wisdom. However, even in these programmes, religious jargon is largely dispensed with and a secular ethic within the framework of the interconnectedness of all life is worked towards, according to the Buddhist motto: “Taking care of oneself, take care of others. Looking out for others, look out for oneself.”