Saturday AM Session 1: Discovering Mindful Self-Compassion
- How Do I Treat a Friend? (exercise on Kristin Neff’s website)
- What is Self-Compassion? (definition on HeartWorks website)
- Soothing Touch (text of practice instructions on Center for Mindful Self-Compassion’s website)
- Self-Compassion Break (text of practice instructions on Kristin Neff’s website)
- Self-Compassion Break (video demonstration by Kristy)
Saturday PM Session 2: Practicing Mindfulness
- Affectionate Breathing (audio meditation by Kristy)
- Mindfulness (HeartWorks blog posts category)
- Resistance (HeartWorks blog posts category)
- Backdraft (Kristy’s blog post)
Sunday AM Session 3: Practicing Loving-Kindness
- Lovingkindness with Self-Compassion Meditation (audio meditation by Kristy)
- Loving-Kindness for a Loved One (video recording of Kristy Arbon teaching an MSC)
- Finding Lovingkindness Phrases (audio instructions by Christopher Germer)
Sunday PM Session 4: Discovering Your Compassionate Voice
- Inner Critic (HeartWorks blog posts category)
- Motivating Ourselves with Compassion (text of exercise instructions on Center for Mindful Self-Compassion website)
- “The Journey” by Mary Oliver (YouTube video)
Monday AM Session 5: Living Deeply
- Giving and Receiving Compassion (audio meditation by Kristy)
- Core Values (HeartWorks blog posts category)
- Meeting the Fear of Pursuing Core Values (Kristy’s blog post)
Monday PM Session 6: Meeting Difficult Emotions
- Soften, Soothe, Allow (audio meditation by Kristy)
- Shame (HeartWorks blog posts category)
Tuesday AM Session 7: Exploring Challenging Relationships
- Compassionate Friend (audio meditation by Kristy)
- Anger (HeartWorks blog posts category)
- Forgiveness (text from Mindful Self-Compassion program)
- Compassion With Equanimity phrases: Everyone is on his or her own life journey. I am not the cause of this person’s suffering, nor is it entirely within my power to make it go away, even if I wish I could. Moments like this are difficult to bear, yet I may still try to help if I can.
- Boundaries (HeartWorks blog posts category)
- Social Justice (HeartWorks blog posts category)
- A Return to Love (excerpt) by Marianne Williamson:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?”
Actually, who are you not to be?
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people
won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do…
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
- As a follow-up from our lunch-time conversation, you can find information about MSC Teacher Training here
Tuesday PM Session 8: Embracing Your Life
- Tips for practice:
Somatic Self-Compassion Practices
Here is the recording of the movement practice we did on Sunday evening
Here is an audio recording of the Breathing Courage Compassion Wisdom practice we did on Monday evening
Self-Compassion and Social Justice
Some of you expressed an interest in exploring how self-compassion can support us in doing our activist work in the world. I am planning on offered an online course titled, “Holding Your Heart While Saving the World: Self-Compassion to Support Social Justice Work.” Please email me at kristy@heartworks.training if you would like to be put on the notification list for this gathering.
Poetry
Here is a downloadable resource of poetry and videos that are used in the MSC program
Recommended Reading
Here’s a page on the HeartWorks website of recommended reading under topics relevant to self-compassion practice.