Introduction & Theoretical Background
There are three ‘flows’ of compassion: having compassion for others, receiving compassion from others, and having compassion for yourself. These flows are not all the same, and some people may find one flow easy and yet struggle with others. Practicing each of the flows of compassion can develop and strengthen our compassionate minds, and can helps us to understand more about our fears and blocks to compassion. Doing compassionate mind training exercises has also been shown to measurably reduce distress, shame, and self-criticism, as well as increasing wellbeing and happiness.
Compassionate Letter Writing is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. Writing about things that we’re struggling with – whether that be stress, difficult feelings, or events that are causing us pain – can lead to better physical and mental health over time. This exercise requires only a piece of paper, a pen, and somewhere