How to Practice Compassion Meditation

Tap to Read ➤ Pankaj Chobharkar

Compassion meditation helps you become more compassionate towards people in your life and even yourself, thus improving your relationships and life.

Meditation is a great way to relax your mind and achieve inner peace. It involves focusing on breathing and emptying the mind of all thoughts and worries.

But, it doesn't do anything about one's relationships, or how one deals with people or thinks of them. If you have negative feelings about someone, it harms you more than anyone else. Compassion meditation is a Buddhist meditation technique that can help get rid of all the negative feelings.

The Buddhist Technique

Buddhist compassion meditation technique is not very different from the normal meditation.

Get into comfortable clothes and find a place in your house that is not crowded with furniture and other material. You can also do it in a park or any place outside your house. But it should not be crowded or noisy. It should be free from distractions.

You can choose any position for meditating as long it is comfortable for you. You can lie down or sit cross-legged. Sometimes, you may feel a little sleepy if you lie down and relax, so it is better if you sit cross-legged on a yoga mat or any other mat. If you are not comfortable with your knees, you can sit in a chair.

Start with the normal meditation. Focus on breathing and try to relax every muscle in your body, along with mind. Now, you have to wish something good for yourself and your loved ones.

For that, you have to come up with certain phrases like, 'may I be contented with my life' , etc. You have to make your own phrases based on what you want out of your life or what you want to change about your life. Repeat the phrases in your mind. Believe what you're saying and visualize it happening.

Think of someone close to you. It can be your spouse, children, parents, or friends.

Make phrases based on what you want for your loved ones. Now visualize that person achieving it while repeating the phrases. Meanwhile, keep breathing softly and keep your body relaxed.

Now, to achieve true compassion, and feel it, you have to wish something good for someone you hate.

This is important, mainly because, wishing good for someone you don't like will relieve you of the negative feelings you have towards them. You will also have to forgive that person and let go of the grudge, anger, etc. Let it all go. It will take a little practice, but eventually, you will feel better.

While coming up with phrases, use only positive words. For example, if you want yourself to be happy, avoid saying 'may I never be sad' , instead go for 'may I be happy always' . That is because the words you use also have an impact.