This Difficult Thing of Being Human: The Art of Self-Compassion

(Paperback)

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We all long for someone to offer us unconditional love and support. But what if that person is us The practice of mindful self-compassion creates the space we need so that observation, acceptance, and real love can enter, no matter how judgmental or disconnected we may feel. It sounds like a simple idea- to be kind to yourself. But if you pay attention to your thoughts, habits, and self-talk, you may find that it's more difficult than it sounds. The intentional practice of self-compassion, outlined here by Buddhist scholar and teacher Bodhipaksa, can help you find greater overall wellbeing, emotional resilience, physical health, and willpower. Bodhipaksa provides both the why and the how of mindful self-compassion, drawing on contemporary psychology and neuroscience and also on Buddhist psychology, weaving the modern and ancient together into a coherent whole. Contemporary psychologists are focusing less on self-esteem and more on self-compassion. Bodhipaksa, a practicing meditator of more than thirty years, effortlessly blends ancient techniques dating back to the time of the Buddha with the most recent understanding of psychology and neuroscience. And in the end, as Bodhipaksa writes, it is actually quite simple- "Life is short. Be kind."

Reviews

"Bodhipaksa gently reminds us that compassion for others begins with compassion for ourselves. This book is a wise guide to five key skills that bring mindful self-compassion to our own suffering and allow us to move through the world with our hearts wide open."Tara Brach, author ofRadical Acceptance

Bodhipaksa embodies an unusual combination of penetrating wisdom, simplicity and modesty, heartfelt good humor, deep contemplative training, grounding in science, and direct clear expression. A wonderful friend and teacher for the path. Rick Hanson, author ofBuddha's Brain

"Suffering is inherent to being human. Bodhipaksa contends that mindfulness meditation and lovingkindness or compassion meditation arepowerful vehicles for meeting this challenge.He makes a compelling case with a clear presentation of these traditional meditation practices and scientific studies that show how these benefit us. Kudos!" Sharon Salzberg, author ofLovingkindness and Real Happiness

Author Bio

Bodhipaksa was born in Scotland and currently lives and teaches in New Hampshire. He is a Buddhist teacher and author who has been practicing within the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order since 1982. He has been a member of the Western Buddhist Order since 1993. Bodhipaksa has been examining and sharing fake Buddha quotes since 2003, most recently on the website fakebuddhaquotes.com, and is the author of I Can't Believe It's Not Buddha!. He runs the online meditation center Wildmind (www.wildmind.org) to promote awareness of the positive effects of meditation and has a particular interest in teaching meditation in prisons.