Just Like Me Meditation: Expand Compassion

The "Just Like Me" Compassion Meditation Practice

This powerful mindfulness exercise helps you recognize our shared human experience - that all beings wish for happiness and freedom from suffering. Inspired by Thupten Jinpa's work in A Fearless Heart, this practice expands your circle of compassion.

Why Practice Compassion Meditation?

• Reduces feelings of isolation
• Increases emotional resilience
• Strengthens social connections
• Cultivates empathy for all beings

Step-by-Step "Just Like Me" Meditation Guide

1. Prepare Your Mind and Body

• Settle into a comfortable position
• Notice bodily sensations (clothing, temperature, pressure)
• Observe your natural breath rhythm

2. Visualize a Loved One

• Picture someone who brings you joy (family member, friend, or pet)
• Move beyond conceptual thinking to feel their presence
• Recognize their desire for happiness matches yours

3. Consider a Neutral Person

• Think of someone you see regularly but don't know well (barista, neighbor, bus driver)
• Imagine their complex inner life:
  • Hopes and fears
  • Daily struggles
  • Desire for happiness
• Repeat: "Just like me, they wish to be happy"

4. Reflect on a Stranger

• Visualize someone very different from you (different culture, facing hardships)
• Look past surface differences to shared humanity
• Acknowledge:
  • They experience joy and pain
  • They're loved by someone
  • They share your fundamental aspirations

5. Combine All Three Perspectives

• Mentally bring together your loved one, neutral person, and stranger
• Recognize their equal desire for happiness
• Include yourself in this circle of compassion

6. Affirmations of Common Humanity

Silently repeat these truths:
- "Just like me, they experience complex emotions"
- "Just like me, they've known pain and joy"
- "Just like me, they seek love and belonging"
- "Just like me, they want freedom from suffering"

Closing Your Compassion Practice

• Sit with any emotions that arise
• Observe without judgment
• End with the phrase: "Just like me, all beings wish for happiness"

Adapted from Steven Hickman's *Self-Compassion for Dummies and Thupten Jinpa's A Fearless Heart.*