07:30

Compassion For Self And All

by Jack Kornfield

Rated
4.6
Type
guided
Activity
Meditation
Suitable for
Everyone
Plays
147.2k

Jack guides us through this heart-opening meditation and expanding our compassion to all. A meditation offered by Be Here Now Network & HeartMind App.

CompassionSelfAllHeart OpeningMeditationLoving KindnessSelf CompassionEmpathyHeart CenteredEmpathy DevelopmentVisualizations

Transcript

So let's do a bit of compassion practice if you would sit quietly.

Find a way to be comfortable.

It's hard to do these heart practices of loving kindness,

Which you'll do with Sharon and compassion,

If your body's killing you,

You know.

So sit reasonably comfortably.

Let your eyes close and just come back into the presence.

The only way you can be truly present is with loving awareness,

With compassionate attention.

Otherwise you can't bear the fullness of your human life with its joys and sorrows.

So breathe gently.

Just come into the presence of this body,

Seated halfway between heaven and earth in this vast sailboat,

Resting here.

And as you sit quietly,

Let yourself think of someone that you love a lot,

Someone where the love is natural and easy.

And as you think of someone where you love them and it's not too complicated,

Picture them in your mind's eye or hold them in your heart.

Envision them as if they're there in front of you,

Wherever you can see them easily,

However.

And as you think of and remember and picture them,

Feel the natural love you have for them,

The care that is there,

The sweetness when the heart opens,

The connection of love,

The appreciation.

And as you picture them now,

Let yourself also become aware of the measure of sorrows they carry.

Like all human beings,

They have a measure of hurt or loss,

Of bodily pain or fear,

Confusion.

Like all human beings,

They carry a measure of difficulty.

And as you see their struggles,

Their fears,

Their pains,

Notice how naturally the heart of compassion opens in you,

A tenderness.

And let yourself say quietly inside a kind of sweet and caring intention in words,

May you be held in compassion,

May your pain and sorrows be eased,

May you live with a peaceful heart,

And let this compassionate gaze,

May you be held in compassion and surround them,

May your pain and sorrows,

Fears be eased,

May you live with a peaceful heart.

And feeling this natural compassion and care for them,

Now let yourself sense that they are looking back at you with the same eyes of care and compassion.

And they gaze at you and see your measure of tears,

Your struggles and losses and sorrows.

And they wish the same for you.

They look at you and they say,

May you too be held in compassion.

Receive it from them,

This love.

May your pain and struggles be eased,

And may you live with a peaceful heart.

Now take one hand and put it on your heart and take these words in for yourself.

Just what they wish for you,

What your loved ones wish for you,

You now take in,

May I hold myself with compassion.

May my pain and struggles and sorrows be eased,

And may I live with a peaceful heart.

And feel what part of your body is calling for compassion and tenderness.

You can know.

Held in compassion.

And what part of your heart and mind,

The loneliness or longing,

The tears or worry,

Pain,

Is calling to be held in compassion.

Hold yourself in mercy.

May my pain and sorrows be eased.

May I live with a peaceful heart.

And inviting the great heart of compassion to awaken in you,

It is your birthright.

Stay with this compassion and let your eyes open now.

Staying with this and gaze around at the beings around you.

Pick one or two and see that they too carry their measure of sorrows.

They each have their fears and losses and struggles like all human beings.

And wish them well.

May you hold yourself in compassion.

May your sorrows and struggles be eased.

May you live with a wise and a peaceful heart.

And later we'll practice so that we let this compassion spread from the sailboat out across the seas to creatures and beings that you love and that you know and those you don't know and those you don't love and all of those kind beings everywhere.

Meet your Teacher

Jack KornfieldCalifornia, USA

4.6 (11 331)

Recent Reviews

Paula

November 25, 2025

Always love Jack- all he has to do is say hello and I am reminded of my heart. He is an amazing teacher. ❤️

Jane

October 22, 2025

Beautiful practice for connecting with the feelings of compassion towards both others and self 🙏🏼

Tamara

August 22, 2025

Thank you very much 🤗🩷 Very gentle but powerful reminder of self compassion xox First creature I saw was our rooster 🐓, so hopefully he's gonna have a lovely day and be nice to his ladies ☺️💗

Marni

August 21, 2025

This was beautiful. I must do it more frequently. Thank you Jack🤗

Shauna

July 19, 2025

Beautiful and calming care for others and for me. Thank you!

Anna

January 15, 2025

Thank you. It felt really good to feel compassion for another and myself. 🙏🙏🪷🙏🙏

Kah

December 19, 2024

Very easy on the ear and mind. Simple and profound.

Erdem

October 19, 2024

Teşekkür ederim Jack. Sesin her zaman kalbime dokunuyor.

Mark

August 31, 2024

I really like this but, wish it was about 5 minutes longer. Thanks

Dan

July 30, 2024

Thank you so very much Jack for this truly lovely meditation. May you too live with a peaceful heart. Namasté

Alexis

June 21, 2024

A really helpful metta meditation. Thank you! 🙏🏻

Raney

February 5, 2024

That was a gr8 example of a loving-kindness meditation. Short and sweet❣️

Angela

September 19, 2023

So so lovely

Jessica

July 26, 2023

We cannot bear the burden of being human without compassion. Wow, yes.

Mary

July 1, 2023

Gentle and beautiful. Such ease with this meditation. I always appreciate the reminder that self-love is our birthright. And I like how Jack invites us to imagine our loved one is also sending us the same compassion and love.

Leigh

May 7, 2023

Very helpful for releasing emotional pain and opening the heart.

Paulina

April 26, 2023

So peaceful. Self compassion and compassion for others helps see humanity from a different place, a place of acceptance, a place of hope.

Julian

April 21, 2023

I'm starting to practice self-compassion and this was a very good experience for beginning of the process.

Roy

April 17, 2023

Great message of compassion for ourselves and those we love.

Linda

March 15, 2023

Just so good to let go of the hard outside and become aware of what it is all about. Thank you Jack and namasté

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© 2025 Jack Kornfield. All rights reserved. All copyright in this work remains with the original creator. No part of this material may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

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