Day 3 of 30 day Neptune Gong: Compassion for Yourself and Others

3 Steps to Compassion for Yourself and Others

Introduction

Today is Day 3 of the Neptune Gong Challenge. The challenge for today is to cultivate compassion for yourself and others.

Compassion is not simply about feeling sorry for someone. It is about recognizing the shared humanity that we all have and wanting to help alleviate the suffering of others.

When we cultivate compassion for ourselves, we are more likely to be Kind and forgiving to others. We are also more likely to be able to see the good in others and extend compassion to them.

Here are some things you can do to cultivate compassion for yourself and others:

1. Spend time each day in meditation or prayer, focusing on the quality of compassion.

2. Make a list of people in your life who you feel compassion for, and send them loving thoughts each day.

3. Perform acts of kindness, such as volunteering your time

What is compassion?

Compassion is an emotion that involves feeling and understanding the difficulties of others. It is a powerful emotion that can bring about a feeling of empathy and understanding toward someone in need, whether that need is physical, mental, or emotional. Compassion naturally leads us to want to do something to help ease the suffering of another person.

The concept of compassion is found in all spiritual and religious traditions, and it is even seen in scientific studies. According to neuroscientists, the “empathy circuit” in the brain is activated when people show compassion. This circuit is believed to help us understand and connect to the emotions and experiences of others in a way that increases our own mental and emotional well-being.

Compassion is not just about feeling sorry for someone. It is about recognizing our shared humanity and wanting to alleviate the suffering in others. It makes us more connected to each other, and more part of the same greater whole.

Why is compassion important for yourself and others?

Compassion is important for us and for others for a variety of reasons. To begin with, it helps to foster healthier and deeper relationships between us and those around us. Compassion is understanding the feelings and difficulties of others and wanting to help ease that suffering. In doing so, it helps us to empathize and connect with those in our lives.

Research has even suggested that developing compassion can help boost our own mental and emotional well-being. Studies have shown that showing compassion can decrease levels of stress and depression. Additionally, it has been found to help with our physical health, as those who practice self-compassion tend to live healthier lives.

Compassion is also important for ourselves and others because it connects us to shared humanity. Compassion helps us to recognize that the world is much bigger than ourselves and that we are all a part of a larger whole. It is an acknowledgment of our shared struggle and need for connection.

Day 3 practice: 30-minute compassion meditation

The third day of the Neptune Gong Challenge is all about practicing compassion for ourselves and others. We can do this through a 30-minute compassion meditation. This practice is focused on deepening our understanding of what compassion is and what it looks like in our lives.

1. Begin by settling into a comfortable and relaxed position. Close your eyes, if it helps, and start to take slow, deep breaths.

2. Now, turn your attention inward and take a few moments to notice your physical body. Let your breath move through your body and any tension or discomfort you may be feeling.

3. As you continue to breathe, bring to mind a mental image of yourself and the people you care about. Feel a sense of connectedness to all, regardless of your actual proximity to the physical world.

4. Moving into the meditation, silently repeat the following to yourself or out loud: “May I be safe from danger. May I be happy and light in being? May I be balanced in body and mind? May I be free from suffering”

5. Open your heart to a sense of compassion for yourself and for others. Allow any feelings of sympathy, understanding, and warmth to come to the surface and slowly evaporate.

6. As you slowly bring your meditation to a close, draw your attention away from the inner self and to objects in the external world. Wiggle your fingers and toes and slowly begin to open your eyes.