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Loving-Kindness & Compassion

Loving-kindness and compassion practices train you to extend warmth and care - first to yourself, then to others. These meditations can shift how you relate to difficult emotions, tough relationships, and your own inner critic.
A handwritten note says, In the end, only kindness matters, taped to a rainy, colorful window on Stanford's Day of Kindness.
Loving-Kindness & Compassion
Stanford’s Day of Kindness 

On May 25, 2011, Stanford University held its first campus-wide official Day of Kindness. All that was required was being kind and noticing kindness throughout the day. Read More 

  • Line Goguen-Hughes
  • May 26, 2011
A digital illustration depicts a person with long dark hair resting their head on folded arms, half-submerged in water. The person has closed eyes and an expression of peacefulness, subtly suggesting the importance of sadness. The colors are soft and muted, primarily shades of blue and brown.
Depression & Grief
The Importance of Sadness 

Sadness isn't necessarily something to be avoided. In fact, Susan Piver says despair can be the consequence of fighting it. Compassion is what happens when you don’t.  Read More 

  • Susan Piver
  • April 20, 2011
A heart shape is formed by placing colorful crayons in an organized pattern on a textured gray surface. The crayons are arranged in a gradient, transitioning from red at the top, through various colors, to purple at the bottom, creating a vibrant and playful display.
Creativity
Kids Explore Compassion through Creativity 

Students from kindergarten to grade 12 are being given the opportunity to explore the meaning of compassion—through art. “Though you can use a lot of words to describe compassion, by putting it into art, art adds value to words and art goes deeper than words,” says James Heiks, the district’s… Read More 

  • Line Goguen-Hughes
  • April 6, 2011
Loving-Kindness & Compassion
Intentional Acts of Kindness 

Mary Ann Christie Burnside teaches us how the kindness we offer ourselves and others affects what happens in the very next moment.  Read More 

  • Mindful Staff
  • March 22, 2011
frog in rainforest
Loving-Kindness & Compassion
Compassion in the Rainforest 

When Ira Rifkin traveled to the jungles of Ecuador years ago, he discovered that though he was far from home, he had come closer to experiencing an authentic human connection. Read More 

  • Line Goguen-Hughes
  • March 16, 2011
Black and white close-up photo of a person’s hands clasped together. The person is wearing a textured long-sleeve sweater. The image focuses on the fingers interlaced, conveying a sense of contemplation or calm.
Books & Reviews
Invite Kind Attention In 

In an excerpt from their new book, The Mindful Way Through Anxiety, Susan M. Orsillo, Ph.D, and Lizabeth Roemer, Ph.D discuss developing the skills of mindfulness in order to bring kind attention into your daily life.  Read More 

  • Mindful Staff
  • February 1, 2011
A mother monkey with light brown fur sits on the ground, cradling a baby monkey in her lap. The baby monkey clings closely to its mother, looking ahead. Both monkeys appear calm and close together against a plain white background.
Expert Interviews
Mindfulness Darwin 

Psychologist Paul Ekman reveals Charles Darwin's real view of compassion—and it's not what you might think. Darwin's belief that altruism is a vital part of life is being confirmed by modern science. Read More 

  • Line Goguen-Hughes
  • December 23, 2010
A small, heart-shaped cloud floats against a clear, bright blue sky. The cloud is slightly wispy around the edges, giving it a soft, delicate appearance.
Getting Started
Practice: Befriending Self 

Saki Santorelli, director of the stress reduction program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, offers some words of wisdom about practicing mindfulness, or "offering hospitality to ourselves." Read More 

  • Mindful Staff
  • November 23, 2010
Woman standing outdoors with eyes closed, practicing deep breathing—a peaceful moment inspired by the science of love.
Learn
The Science of Love 

Are there provable methods we can use to become more altruistic and compassionate? Barry Boyce reports on CCARE's growing number of scientists and researchers who are studying how to bring out the best in human nature.  Read More 

  • Barry Boyce
  • September 7, 2010
A woman talking to an older man.
Expert Interviews
It’s Not Helping 

What can you do when compassion shows up as frustration? Karen Kissel Wegela on how to be present with our own helplessness. Read More 

  • Mindful Staff
  • August 25, 2010
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