In July 2019, mindfulness teacher Frank Ostaseski suffered a serious stroke that affected his brain’s capacity. In the ensuing two months he had four more strokes, and as many aspects of daily life became more difficult, Ostaseski found strength and refuge in love, compassion, and curiosity. “As we shift from a goal of recovery to one of discovery, our wisdom tells us we’ll need love and compassion for the journey,” he writes. Here, Ostaseski offers two short contemplations that call on both.
An Evening Contemplation: Compassion for SufferingAt night when I’m scared or I’m confused, or worried that I won’t recover, I lie in bed and I think about all of the people who might be alone, frightened, or suffering. And this evokes in me a certain kind of compassion, a deep wish to relieve their suffering. I’m not very good at self-compassion. I’ve never been good at it. But when I invoke my compassion for others it spills over to me because I can’t have it for others and not include myself.
When I invoke my compassion for others it spills over to me because I can’t have…
