self esteem or self compassion?


Ar her homepage Kristin Neff, a professor and author from Texas, explains the difference between self esteem and self compassion. In a TED-video found on the page she sums up that self esteem is ok but self passion is better.
If you listen to the video you will understand why.

At her homepage you also can follow some guided meditations based on loving-kindness and so on.
And as I have mentioned before, it's important to start with yourself.
You have to show compassion for yourself first.
Then you can show it to others.
This kind of mindfulness is called Metta-meditation. It comes from buddhist tradition, but Kristin has added some own aspects. She even has written a book about the topic.

A buddhist or not, everyone is suffering to some degree. And it's no use to condemn ourselves for that fact. You can't take away the suffering, but you can handle it in a better way. And you can understand what you have in common with everyone else.

Kristin Neff is also known for participating in a film about her son, who has autism; "The horse boy" (you can find it at youtube).

The love to the son helped him, showing shame and condemning his habits doesn't help.

I know because I help people with autism myself....

Here is the address to Kristin´s homepage;
http://www.self-compassion.org/


















And now is this blog going on vacation to good old Gotland...









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