Golden Rule Meditation Exercises

2.5   Meditation on compassion and healing

Materials required: a listing of the 13 expressions of the Golden Rule. To access this listing, click here. To avoid printing all five available languages, select only the language you need.

Steps:

1. Prepare yourself
   Prepare yourself for meditation by any means that you find to be effective. You may want to consider Appendix 4: Tips for preparing for meditation and reflection.
2. The Golden Rule
   In a slow and reflective fashion, read the 13 expressions of the Golden Rule. Take as much time as you need with these writings.
3. Compassion and healing“It is compassion that heals us. Compassion – the sense of shared humanity, the sense of our kinship with each other – this is what heals. This is what heals the desperation that we feel, the darkness that we feel.”Spend time reflecting on this statement by Pema Chodron in which she makes a connection between compassion and healing. Pema Chodron is a Buddhist nun and teacher who lives in Nova Scotia, Canada. In her teaching she often focuses on the practice of compassion, a key tenet of Buddhism.
   

   Take as much time as you need to reflect on Chodron’s statement.

4. Interacting wisdom statements
   You have had some time to reflect on both Chodron’s statement on compassion and the 13 expressions of the Golden Rule. How do these two interact for you? To aid your reflection, consider one or more of the following questions:
   1. Does Pema Chodron’s statement give added meaning to the 13 expressions of the Golden Rule? If so, how does it add meaning? Conversely, do the 13 statements of the Golden Rule give added meaning to Chodron’s statement on compassion? Explain.
   2. Which of the 13 expressions of the Golden Rule relate most directly to Chodron’s statement? Explain.
   3. Are there ways in which Chodron’s statement does not relate to the 13 expressions of the Golden Rule? Explain.
5. In your own words
   In your own words, re-write Pema Chodron’s statement on compassion and healing, incorporating any new insights that you have garnered from your reflection thus far.
6. Going deeper
   Read the written reflections you have made throughout this meditation. To deepen your reflection, consider one or more of the following questions:
   • What was it like for me to do this meditation exercise?
   • At what points during this period of reflection was I moved? Inspired? Challenged?
   • What questions or issues have been raised for me?
   • What new insights have I gained in this process?
   • What did I learn about myself?
   • As a result of this meditation, what aspects of my life might I consider changing?
   • As a result of this meditation, I feel moved to……
   • What did I learn about the Golden Rule? About compassion and healing? About the world we live in?
7. Record your thoughts
   In your journal, record any thoughts, reflections or insights garnered in Step #6 and in the entire process.
8. A group experience
   For instructions on how to adapt this meditation for a group experience, see Appendix 3: Application to a group experience.