Self-Compassion and Synchronicity

Self-compassion practice can be a powerful and calming tool for learning that is mindful and holistic. Self-compassion not only can make us happier, but according to research can help us overcome challenges and meet our goals. Self-compassion is a process in which we recognize that we are suffering, that suffering is part of the human experience and everybody suffers, that we all want to be happy, and that we can be kind to ourselves in our suffering. Most of us share the shame of believing we are not worthy of our own care as we rush to care for others and all the world’s problems. The radical act of offering self-compassion is healing, and all the more so when we share this experience with others. Convinced of the power of self-compassion, I integrated a self-compassion action-research study into our Master’s Comprehensive Projects course to study the effects of this intervention on a habitually difficult academic process. My story of finding self-compassion and integrating it into my teaching and research in several ways offers insights about how we can learn to use self-compassion in our daily lives and work, while also highlighting how we might open to the power of synchronicity.