Setting Our Intentions

During the holiday season, a lot of different thoughts and emotions are sure to arise. There may be happiness and satisfaction from connecting with our loved ones and the spirit of giving. There may also be a sense of dissatisfaction or lack, especially if our relationships aren’t what we would like them to be.

Giving and Receiving Compassion

As we immerse ourselves in this ocean of giving, it’s important that we allow the waves of generosity to flow inward as well as outward. When we express gratitude to those we love, we can also appreciate ourselves. When we show compassion toward the suffering of others, our hearts can also soften in response to our own pain.

Celebrating Our Common Humanity

Recognition of our shared humanity is central to self-compassion. As opposed to self-pity, which is a self-focused “poor me” mindset, compassion honors the fact that all people are imperfect, and all people lead imperfect lives.

Embracing the Fall

Fall is upon us. Some of us are sad to see the hot summer days go, others can’t wait for the leaves to turn and temperatures to cool. Most of us can agree that a world with only one season would be much less interesting than our continually changing weather patterns.

Warming Our Experience

Let’s face it. Life can be hard. Not only are we imperfect and continually making mistakes or falling short of our own standards, the world around us is also challenging. Other people sometimes don’t act as we would like them too. Our jobs can be stressful and demanding. We might be struggling to make ends meet. Society may seem dysfunctional and broken.