How can we embody the many skills and attributes of compassion? In this episode we explore the answers to that question. Inspired by the Mindfulness Based Compassionate Living course, we embark on a journey to understand and cultivate compassion in our lives. We begin by harnessing the power of imagination through mindful imagery, laying the groundwork for compassion to flourish. Discover a practical breathing space with compassion meditation for moments of challenge and adversity. Delving deeper, we explore the Lotus of compassion, uncovering the environment, attributes, and skills pivotal for embodying this virtue. We also explore how to discern between the voices of your inner critic and inner helper. Our episode culminates in an Embodying Compassion guided meditation, anchoring our understanding and nurturing compassion through our practice. Join us as we embrace compassion as not just a concept, but as a guiding force in our one, precious life.
About Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living
Compassion can be described as an awareness of pain and suffering -ours and others- coupled with a motivation to take action to alleviate it. Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living (MBCL) is a science backed course designed to enhance our physical, emotional and relational well-being though deepening meditation practice, growing self-compassion, and learning ways to balance kindness and compassion for others with care for ourselves.
The course was developed in 2007 by Dutch Psychotherapist Dr Erik van den Brink and Meditation Teacher and Psychiatric Nurse Frits Koster as a follow-on to foundational mindfulness programs. If you would like to read more about MBCL you can find out more at my website or the links below.
About your Host
Kate is a qualified BAMBA registered mindfulness teacher offering over 25 years of coaching expertise. She has trained with Erik van den Brink and Frits Koster, the developers of MBCL. Having experienced the transformative power of mindful compassion in her own life, she is passionate about sharing that with others in a way that is accessible, professional and infused with her own unique brand of gentle kindness.
You can follow Realise on:
https://www.realisemindfulness.com/
https://www.facebook.com/realisemindfulness
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-ensor-a4b4a62a/
https://www.instagram.com/realisemindfulness/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiUm0kgeEX-uU6_PPTc2Zaw
Find out more about MBCL:
www.mbcl.org (Erik van den Brink)https://fritskoster.com/ (Frits Koster)www.mbcl-international international.net (MBCL International)
You can also buy the MBCL course Workbook from the publisher Routledge and all good booksellers: https://www.routledge.com/A-Practical-Guide-to-Mindfulness-Based-Compassionate-Living-Living-with/Brink-Koster-Norton/p/book/9781138228931
A quick disclaimer:
This podcast is intended as an ongoing support resource to anyone who has attended a foundational mindfulness course such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction or Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and is interested in deepening their practice in mindful compassion.
The MBCL course is rich and deep & this podcast is in no way a replacement for attending an 8-week course. Rather, it is intended as either an introduction, a companion or a refresher for the course. If you are interested in finding out more, or working with me one-to-one, you can find some helpful links above.
And remember any information you hear on this podcast and my media sites is for information purposes only and should never be a substitute for advice from a doctor, psychiatrist or any other health professional.