{"id":82002,"date":"2020-10-26T17:04:24","date_gmt":"2020-10-26T17:04:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/?p=82002"},"modified":"2020-10-26T17:04:24","modified_gmt":"2020-10-26T17:04:24","slug":"61-free-resources-to-support-your-mindful-self-compassion-practice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/2020\/10\/26\/61-free-resources-to-support-your-mindful-self-compassion-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"61 Free Resources to support your mindful self-compassion practice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

To skip my reflection on my own mindful self-compassion journey, and get right to the 61 free resources to support your mindful self-compassion practice , click here. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mindful Self-Compassion is not a Self-Improvement Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Opening her presentation on “Benedictine Spirituality and Self Compassion” in the spring of 2017, my friend and fellow Benedictine Oblate<\/a> Becky Van Ness, OblSB<\/a> smilingly admonished us not to treat the learning of self compassion as if it were another project in self improvement.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My response was laughter. Humor enables me to sidle up to my glaring weakness. Ha-ha, yes, that’s me all right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I have a compulsion for self-improvement,” I’ll admit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who know me nod vigorously. Yes<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“But I’m working on it.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This cracks people up. But I’m only half jesting. My conundrum is real. How can I grow if I don\u2019t try<\/em>? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since beginning my journey as an Oblate, I have been reading The Rule of Benedict<\/em> daily, often accompanied by Joan Chittister’s <\/a>commentary. Not long after I became an Oblate candidate, I read this sentence, but only one word stood out to me then: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Benedictine spirituality is clearly rooted in living ordinary life with EXTRAORDINARY<\/strong> awareness and commitment.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hi. I’m Tracy and I’m a perfectionist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These days, after years of study and daily contemplative practices, after monthly Oblate group meetings and growing into my community, I see that sentence differently:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Benedictine spirituality is clearly rooted in living ORDINARY<\/strong> life with extraordinary AWARENESS<\/strong> and COMMITMENT<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And I’m not even trying<\/strong><\/em> to see differently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spiritual Practices lead to growth the way soil, nutrients, warmth, light, and water work together to transform a seed into a sapling into a tree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five years ago I learned that my husband — my best friend and soul mate — suffers from progressive cognitive impairment caused by non-Alzheimer dementia. I was hurled into a desperate grief that left me so hurting and confused I could barely function. Looking back, wondering how I had moved from that dark, dark place into today, where my life is full of serenity and joy, I discovered 3 attitudes that support self-compassion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 simple attitudes to support self-compassion <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

#1 — Practice Playfully<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

#2 — Aim for “More Often than Not”<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

#3 — Make a Specific<\/strong> Commitment<\/strong> to Practice Mindful Self-Compassion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Quote:<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

the Gentle Way to practice mindful self-compassion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Allocate 15-30 minutes\u00a0once a week<\/strong>\u00a0to educate yourself and begin practicing self-compassion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t let perfectionism ruin this for you. If you manage to keep your commitment to practice mindful self-compassion \u201cmore often than not,\u201d re-mind <\/em>yourself you\u2019re doing very well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t work or strive; instead allow <\/strong><\/em>your practices of mindful self-compassion to grow you the way soil, nutrients, warmth, light, and water work together, in time, to transform a seed into a sapling into a tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 61 Free Resources <\/strong>to support your mindful self-compassion practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Visit Self-Compassion.Org<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Kristin Neff’s “Home<\/strong><\/a>” and “About<\/strong>” pages will quickly introduce you to mindful self-compassion. Start with those, and read her “tips for practice.”<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then do <\/em>one of her 8 exerices<\/a> <\/strong>or listen to one of her 10 guided meditations<\/a>. <\/strong>Her site tells how long each meditation lasts–a helpful feature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her “Resources” page has links to 26 websites<\/strong><\/a> to help you learn more about this transformative self-care practice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0Vist ChrisGermer.com<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chris Germer, PhD<\/strong>\u00a0is a clinical psychologist and lecturer on psychiatry (part-time) at Harvard Medical School.\u00a0He co-developed the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC)\u00a0program with Kristin Neff in 2010. This link will take you to a page of 7 audio<\/strong> mindful self-compassion meditations with written instructions for practicing, along with <\/a>14 more informal mindful self-compassion meditations. <\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try this 30-minute Body Scan Meditation by Jon Kabat-Zinn<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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