Compassion Excercise

The Compassion Excercise:

A friend gave me the following excercise on a card that I carry around, and it has helped me to realize the potential of everyone to learn, regardless of how they might seem in the present moment.

Also has helped to lessen the severity of my automatic mental judgment of others based on appearance (fat people, louis vuittoned gucci-d out people , unaware text messagers, heavily makeupd scantily clad women...physical appearances that gave rise to aversion within me) and see through the facade and realize

WE ARE ALL THE SAME!

Happy Practicing : )

THE COMPASSION EXERCISE

"Just Like Me" by Harry Palmer

Honesty with one's self leads to compassion for others.

Objective: To increase the amount of compassion in the world.

Expected Result:: Increase in understanding and a personal sense of peace.

Instructions: This exercise can be done anywhere that people congregate (airports, events, beaches, etc.). It should be done on strangers, unobtrusively and from some distance. Try to do all five steps on the same person.

With your attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person is seeking some happiness for (his or her) life.

With your attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person is trying to avoid suffering in (his or her) life.

With your attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person has known sadness, suffering, and despair."

With your attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person is seeking to fill (his or her) needs."

With your attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person is learning about life."

Variations of the Just Like Me process:

Done by couples to increase understanding of each other.

Done on old enemies and antagonists still present in one's memories.