Compassion is defined as concern for the sufferings and misfortunes of others. We can extend compassion to ourselves too. We do have a relationship with ourselves don't we?
Last week was a whirl wind of events. Memorial day and the day George Floyd died. RIP George. Protest have ensued since then, and some protest have become violent and destructive. The whole situation is heart breaking.
Coincidentally, last week we also started the first workshop that focuses on mindfulness practices for sport performance. We had our first workshop last Tuesday night. Participants added to the wealth of knowledge and practice.
With the current civil unrest over George's violent death, I thought it might be a good opportunity to weave in a main goal of mindfulness: Compassion. You might be asking yourself, "well compassion seems appropriate for the current state of affairs, but what does that have to do with increasing my sport performance?"
Compassion for ourselves and others actually creates a mindset that allows you to accept your flaws or mistakes even in a sport performance. Being harsh and unforgiving with ourselves is likely a hindrance to performance. Cultivating compassion also creates good sportsmanship. Most importantly, I have been convinced that when we cultivate compassion we can create a more peaceful world...
Here is a video of compassion and mindfulness for sport performance:
You cant stop the waves but you can learn to surf -John Kabat Zinn:
Thich Nhat Hanh: