From Self-Judgement to Self-Compassion

Leaves can change, and so can we. Source: The author (Emily P.G. Erickson)

Mindfulness is great. Mostly. But being aware of your thoughts can be downright painful, especially when they’re full of self-judgement. Self-compassion can help.

Let me back up: I’m a meditator. I’ve been practicing off and on since 2007. The tradition I practice in is called Theravada Buddhism, which I encountered in northeast Thailand when I studied abroad there in college. One branch of…