Compassion

Compassion is the ability to make us feel involved with the pain and suffering of ourselves and others, and to have the courage and willingness to do something about it. Anyone can make this ability grow by exercise. Research has shown that there is a strong relationship between compassion and health, well being and defensibility by setbacks.

Compassion is also called Heartfulness: living from the heart. Exercises that are heartwarming because you are more kind to yourself and to others.

Through practical exercises you learn to develop Compassion further and to apply it into your daily life. The operation of Mindfulness is being integrated with Heartfulness. Therefore, a completed course Mindfulness is an important basis for taking the course Compassion.

You learn to become more mild and to treat yourself kindly. To become friends with yourself. This is also called Selfcompassion. The ability to be truly kind and nice to yourself, even when you are having unpleasant thougths, or feelings. Even when at times you don't like yourself. It takes courage to face your own shortcomings, fears, sorrows and anger. And the fact that you are not alone in this can bring a sense of solidarity with others.

You learn to see your “inner critic” (like a voice inside your head) that is constantly commenting on the things you do. The Compassion exercises can help you to acknowledge the existance of the inner critic (instead of denying) , to see the positive intention of it and thereby noticing it sooner when it is or wants to be in charge. Through this awareness you can become in charge again, you take the driver's seat.

In the meantime Mindfulness is integrated into my daily life and has become a way of life. Because of the many courses Mindfulness I teached and still teach I also experienced and see the effects on others. After a while of practicing Mindfulness many participants create a wish to deepen it. I share this experience. One day I came in touch with Compassion and I became immediately interested. Then I attented a few Compassion courses so I experienced the power of Compassion myself. Also I did an education for professional Compassion trainer, and now I am a certified trainer.

When I first came in touch with the practice of Compassion (Heartfulness) at a course session, I was touched. Then when I experienced the exercises myself my emotion got bigger. There is so much tenderness and love in the exercises, that even if you find that you had to do something better, you can say that it is ok the way it is. I find it heartwarming.

By practicing Selfcompassion I experience more inner space. That it is ok the way I am, even if there are parts of me that I would like to see different.

Through Mindfulness you learn to Focus on things that really matter and to notice when your mind wanders. Through Compassion you deepen your Mindfulness experience and it opens your Heart .

I would like to share my experiences and enthusiasm both for Mindfulness and Compassion. You learn to stay balanced, despite of setbacks. You learn to become friends with yourself. You will experience more acceptance, and a sense of coming home to yourself.