Why Self-Compassion Trumps Self-Esteem In this incredibly competitive society of ours, how many of us truly feel good about ourselves? I remember once, as a freshman in college, after spending hours getting ready for a big party, I complained to my boyfriend that my hair, makeup, and outfit were woefully inadequate. He tried to reassure me by saying, “Don’t worry, you look fine.” Juan Estey “Fine? The desire to feel special is understandable. Not very well. How can we grow if we can’t acknowledge our own weaknesses? Continually feeding our need for positive self-evaluation is a bit like stuffing ourselves with candy. The result is often devastating. And of course, the goalposts for what counts as “good enough” seem always to remain out of reach. Another way So what’s the answer? When I first came across the idea of “self-compassion,” it changed my life almost immediately. I remember talking to my new fiancé, Rupert, who joined me for the weekly Buddhist group meetings, and shaking my head in amazement. An island of calm
Meditation Techniques for the Busy or Impatient If you are reading this then you probably recognize some value in meditation, in slowing down, and reducing stress. At the same time you probably struggle with fitting meditation into your daily routine. The good news is that establishing a daily meditation practice is easier than you may have thought. In order to make this work, it will be helpful to: Lower your expectations of meditation. How to Easily Incorporate Meditation into Your Day The way to do this is to transform some of the things you are already doing each day into mindful meditation. Exercise Meditation Any continuous physical activity over a period of time can work. The way to transform any of these activities into meditation is to first focus on your breath. Bathing Meditation The next time you shower or take a bath, create your own spa experience simply by flipping the switch in your mind. Let go of words and labels by expressing your good feelings through meaningless sounds such as “aum,” “mmmm,” or “ahhhhh.”
Kristin Neff, Ph Kristin Neff, Ph. D. Associate Professor Educational Psychology Dept. University of Texas at Austin 1 University Station, D5800 Austin, TX 78712 e-mail: kristin.neff@mail.utexas.edu Download Curriculum Vita Spring 2013 Self-Compassion Publications Publications by Kristin Neff and colleagues (in chronological order) Germer, C. Link Neff, K. link Neff, K. Link Neff, K. Link Neff, K. Link Neff, K., & Tirch, D. (2013). Link Neff, K. LInk Yarnell, L. Link Neff, K. Link Raes, F., Pommier, E., Neff,K. Link Neff, K. (2010). Link Neff, K. Neff, K. Neff, K. Neff, K. Link Neff, K. Neff, K. Neff, K. Neff, K. Neff, K. Neff, K. Neff, K. Neff, K. link Neff, K. Link Studies by other researchers with a major focus on self-compassion (in alphabetical order) Adams, C. Akın, A. (2008). Akin, A. (2009). Allen, A. Link Allen, A., & Leary, M. Link Allen, A., & Leary, M. Baer, R. llnk Baker, L. Link Barnard, L. Link Barnard, L. Link Baer, R. Link Beaumont, E, Galpin, A. & Jenkins, P. (2012). Bergen-Cico, D., & Cheon, S. (2013). Link Link Link
How to Make Your Own Couch to 5K Playlist for Free | Lucas Hammer So I have seen a lot of requests online that look something like this: Hey, I like x kind of music and want to do the Couch To 5K. Can somebody make me a playlist? Due to the large number of requests, I decided to make a quick tutorial to show how I created mine easily and for free. The first two things that you’re going to need are audacity which is available for free at and iTunes which is available for free at . The first step once both of the programs are installed is to adjust the iTunes import settings to set the default format of import to .mp3 format. Then select Import Settings which is on the General tab of the preferences. In the “Import Using” dropdown, select MP3 Encoder. After this, click OK twice to return to the iTunes main playlist screen. Now that iTunes is set up to receive new downloads in MP3 format, we need to download a podcast to give you verbal cues on when to run and when to walk. You’re halfway there.
Om Mani Padme Hum: The Meaning of the Mantra in Tibetan Buddhism Glimpsing a Few More Facets of the Mantra There are many ways to understand the meaning of the mantra. Here are a few of them: The Transformation of Speech [An excerpt from The Dharma, by Kalu Rinpoche, from a chapter on The Four Dharmas of Gampopa. ] "The second aspect of transformation [of confusion into wisdom] concerns our speech. Mere words, which have no ultimate reality, can determine our happiness and suffering. In the Vajrayana context, we recite and meditate on mantra, which is enlightened sound, the speech of the [Bhodisattva of Compassion], the union of Sound and Emptiness. At first, the Union of Sound and Emptiness is simply an intellectual concept of what our meditation should be. One of the disciples was very diligent, though his realization was perhaps not so profound. When the two disciples went to their lama to indicate they had finished the practice, he said, 'Oh, you've both done excellently. The Powers of the Six Syllables "Behold! H.H. top of page
The Couch to 5K plan A week-by-week description of the nine-week set of Couch to 5K podcasts. Week one Begin with a brisk five-minute walk, then alternate 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking, for a total of 20 minutes. Week two Begin with a brisk five-minute walk, then alternate 90 seconds of running with two minutes of walking, for a total of 20 minutes. Week three Begin with a brisk five-minute walk, then two repetitions of 90 seconds of running, 90 seconds of walking, three minutes of running and three minutes of walking. Week four Begin with a brisk five-minute walk, then three minutes of running, 90 seconds of walking, five minutes of running, two-and-a-half minutes of walking, three minutes of running, 90 seconds of walking and five minutes of running. Week five There are three different workouts for this week, which are: Workout one: a brisk five-minute walk, then five minutes of running, three minutes of walking, five minutes of running, three minutes of walking and five minutes of running.
The Doctrine is Compassion -- The Dalai Lama We can reject everything else: religion, ideology, all received wisdom. But we cannot escape the necessity of love and compassion.... This, then, is my true religion, my simple faith. In this sense, there is no need for temple or church, for mosque or synagogue, no need for complicated philosophy, doctrine or dogma. Our own heart, our own mind, is the temple. The doctrine is compassion. ~ Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama ~ (Remembering the people of Tibet and the victims of Tiananmen Square on the opening of the Beijing Olympics ) (left button to play, right button to save)
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