“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.”
This quote is by Jack Kornfield, a writer and teacher of American Theravada Buddhism and mindfulness meditation.
Compassion is one of the most valuable qualities we can possess. Whenever we have encountered people in our lives who have treated us with compassion, we have been very fortunate. We have also been fortunate if we have been among people who show compassion for others, for their example has helped us to be more compassionate toward others as well.
As those of you who have read my posts know, I emphasize the importance of trying to follow our individual spiritual paths. I have also written about how learning about the concepts of Jungian psychology has helped me and many others in our efforts to do that. Noticing and trying to discern the possible meanings of synchronicities, writing down and contemplating our dreams, being watchful of when projection might have occurred and trying to ascertain what it might be telling us about ourselves—these are some of the many ways the findings of Carl Jung and the writings of others about Jungian psychology have assisted us.
By endeavoring to follow our individual paths, we are better able to become aware of the importance of caring about and helping others, for becoming more whole is not just for our own spiritual and emotional wellbeing. Through inner work, we are also given direction to the ways that we are to help other people during our earthly journeys. And it is essential that the way we treat others is also how we treat ourselves. For as Kornfield says, compassion is not complete if it does not also include having compassion for ourselves. This includes forgiving ourselves when we make mistakes, encouraging ourselves as we try to correct those mistakes, if possible, and also to learn from them, comforting ourselves when we are grieving or experiencing other difficulties, and being patient with ourselves.
So the next time you find yourself being hard on yourself or in other ways not being compassionate toward yourself, recall Jack Kornfield’s words. I know I will be keeping them in mind.