Our practice is compassion as we near the end of our Real Happiness Challenge. We look at the quality of our compassion so that it is a component of loving-kindness. We work with a difficult emotion and notice how we feel about this emotion. We pay attention to our body, the sensations, and the relationship that we have to the emotion.
We do the same afterward with someone we know with the same emotion, feeling the sensations as we think about this person and the emotion all that arises. We recognize and then commit ourselves to compassion for the other person and ourselves.
My emotion today was frustrated and then weary. Half of the week I was beset with migraines which is quite unusual for me but with the arrival of a change in temperature and weather it is understandable as it is an activator for me. I felt as I said at first frustrated, I looked to another that I see in this state. My compassion rose for us both. I then realized how exhausted I was and knew that it was best that today I practice compassion for myself. I rested and took it easy. Sometimes that is necessary and to not fight what is present. To accept that right now it is like this and to simply sit, be it in meditation, or to watch a movie and do whatever self-care I need to do.
Even though I knew I had projects to attend to around the house and work-wise, slowing down, and sipping tea sounded much more peaceful to me.
Here is Sharon’s meditation for today.
Let me know how this week goes for you with each practice that I post. You can join me in my mindfulness classes or if you would you like personal meditation instruction, I am happy to assist you through these practices. Contact me.
Recommended reading for Week Three of the Challenge is pages 152 – 160 and pages 177 – 183 in the second edition of the book, “Real Happiness”.
