I love this compassion practice - “Just Like Me”. It is so simple and yet so profound in helping us see that as fellow human beings, we are really more alike than we are different.
I have most often used this practice to work on my perceptions of someone with whom I’ve had some difficulty or conflict. It helps me reduce feelings of animosity and thoughts of judgement that tend to drag me down into unwholesome states of mind.
We can practice “Just Like Me” with anyone - family, friends, acquaintances, or even strangers, as a way of breaking down barriers and fostering a stronger sense of connection with someone.
In this live Take A Pause session recorded on 23 June 2024, I guided the TAP community in mindfulness of breath, followed by the contemplation exercise “Just Like Me”. We also practiced sending thoughts of kindness to the person we brought to mind during the contemplation.
Finally, we concluded our session with a reading of the poem “Good” by Donna Ashworth.
Meditation begins: 06:00
Reading begins: 25:52
Meditation duration: 20 minutes
Most people are good. Most people kiss their pets goodbye and read just one more bedtime story to their children. Most people visit their grandparents even when they have no time and stop by to check on quiet friends, after a day too long and draining. Most people return their shopping trolleys, despite being already late and let someone with only one item, jump to the front of a queue. Most people give money when money is scarce and most people worry about people they don’t even know, day in and day out. When the world seems bad, remember,
most people are good.
— Donna Ashworth
A few more practice sessions for you:
A few more nuggets of wisdom for you:
Ep 12: Someone Just Like Me