Seeing others suffering is painful. Learn to practice both compassion and self-soothing in this guided meditation led by Anushka Fernandopulle.

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How to Do This Practice:

1. Find somewhere peaceful, sit down and get comfortable. Once you’re ready, gently close your eyes.

2. Start taking deep breaths and relax your body. Part by part, release tension in different areas of your body.

3. Think of someone or a group of people you know or have heard of who may be having a hard time. Bring to mind an image of them.

4. Connect with whatever it is they are struggling with. Mentally, make some wishes of compassion for them. For example, “May you be free from pain.” Or, “I am here with you.”

5. You can also use this practice to focus on your own pain. To do this, call to mind your struggles and give yourself the same compassion you gave others.

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Today’s Happiness Break host:

Anushka Fernandopulle is a meditation teacher who trained in Buddhist meditation for over 30 years. After studying Buddhism at Harvard, she spent four years in full-time meditation training in the U.S., India, and Sri Lanka

Check out Anushka’s upcoming meditation retreats https://www.anushkaf.org

Follow Anushka on Instagram https://tinyurl.com/ytn3vvhz

Follow Anushka on Twitter https://tinyurl.com/485vj8xn

Check out Anushka’s Dharma Talks https://tinyurl.com/ydacvamn

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Find another version of the Compassion Meditation practice at our Greater Good in Action website:

https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/compassion_meditation

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More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

What is compassion? https://tinyurl.com/2s3ztcpt

Take Our Self-Compassion Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/yysrf663

Try Dr. Neff’s Fierce Self-Compassion Break: https://tinyurl.com/yk9yzh9u

How to Bring Self-Compassion to Work with You: https://tinyurl.com/45zkrkam

The Five Myths of Self-Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/2p88vass

Read Dr. Neff’s interview about Self-Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/286njtje

How Self-Compassion Can Help You Through a Breakup: https://tinyurl.com/222scejz

Can Self-Compassion Overcome Procrastination? https://tinyurl.com/mrfmvyj

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We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of compassion meditation. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

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We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.