Guidelines for practicing these meditations

- [Narrator] This is an audio course. Thank you for listening. (calm music) - Sounds True presents The Science of Compassion, a Modern Approach for Cultivating Empathy, Love, and Connection, with health psychologist and Stanford University lecturer Kelly McGonigal. Our program continues with session 11, guided compassion meditation practices. - [Instructor] I've created four meditation practices specifically for this program. The first practice is connecting to compassion through breath and intention. The second is a practice of sending compassion to someone who's suffering. The third is a practice of self-compassion and receiving compassion. And the final meditation is a practice of connecting to a bigger than self-compassion and transforming suffering. These practices draw from my experience teaching compassion meditations from the Buddhist tradition, but they also include elements drawn from the science of compassion. If you've listened to other sessions in this program, you'll recognize many of these elements. You can practice the meditations individually. Each is between about 10 and 20 minutes long. You can also combine them to create a longer guided practice that will take you through each step of strengthening compassion for yourself and others. Before you listen to the meditations consider that there are many ways to use them. You might want to listen to them first to familiarize yourself with the practice before you fully immerse yourself in them. They can also be a source of inspiration for on the spot short practices you can use in real life in a less formal way than a guided meditation. You can listen to these practices with the idea that you might discover a favorite phrase, an image, or a breathing exercise that you could use whenever you want to connect to compassion. A few guidelines for when you do practice the meditations. You can sit in a chair, on a cushion, or on the floor, finding a posture that feels upright but not forced. You can also practice these meditations in a resting pose such as lying on your back or in a restorative yoga pose. Your eyes can be open or closed during the meditations. And if you leave them open, let the eyes rest at one spot with a soft focus without wandering throughout the meditation. Some of my students also enjoy practicing these meditations while walking mindfully or spending time outdoors. Because compassion is about engaging with the world, this is consistent with the intention of the meditations. Experiment and see what supports you. I hope you enjoy these practices and that they contribute to the awakening and strengthening of your compassion.