“The Six Perfections” …a kind and soothing meditation

Using qualities in The Six Perfections
in a quiet meditation…
reflecting during
….or after….
a moment of difficulty

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Sometimes, when having a moment of difficulty, I’ll pause and go through each of the Six Perfections….bringing qualities within each one of those individual “perfections” toward myself, or another….I’ll think of specific thoughts or words about the qualities.

Here’s an example of what I might say…. of course, each person would have different words.  I used “I” or “me” in these suggestions, but of course, one could substitute another person’s name, if there was a conflict with another.

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Generosity

Being more  “generous” about this feeling….
for example…  “this is difficult…I’m trying hard here…I don’t know how to handle this but my intentions are positive… I’ll keep learning and soon it might get easier….I don’t understand why I feel like this, but soon I might and then it might get easier….this is hard and I’m being courageous to try to calm and soothe now…”

A few Kindness and Generosity links:
Image and post with special DalaiLama quote: “My religion is kindness”
Kindness:  “ A basket full of kindness”
Loving kindness wishes….  “May we all feel happy and contented…..”
True to my North star, but right now I am good enough….“True to my North Star”
I’m okay....”Right now, I’m alright”
Having hope… “Hope comes from a large family”
Reassuring words….“Believe in your own goodness…”

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Ethical Thoughts, Words or Actions

Being more “ethical” about, or with, thoughts, words or actions….
“I can shift that idea into a kind thought…I did well in this situation, in this way and this way ….. I was well intended or thoughtful in this way and this way….  I was positive in this way and this way …”

A few Ethical thoughts links:
Developing more ethical speech, thoughts, or actions.… “Choosing how we talk….”
Recognizing negative thinking and changing it: Muddy Dog Thinking
Learning to not believe one’s negative thoughts: “Just because I think it doesn’t mean I should believe it….”
Learning to be careful with our thinking because  “Thoughts lead to feelings….”
Flexible thinking…Notice the positives

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Patience

Bringing more “patience”….
“this is difficult and it might take time to get through this…this is hard in this moment but I can be patient and understand it will pass….I’m learning and changing and soon this will be easier for me…. I know this will pass, it just might take time… ”

A few Patience links:
Earlier post about Patience: “Patience”
Some  “patience” ideas:  “patience self talk” (I made these a few years ago and used them with myself and kids in my classroom)
Another page for helping to develop patience  Patience: more self talk

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Concentration

Bringing more concentration, mindfulness, awareness in the moment…..
“I  noticed this thought or feeling in the moment and paused to soothe or reflect….I’m noticing reactions more quickly and that is so positive….I paused as I noticed a reaction and reflected…that is such a good change….I can reflect later on the dynamics of my reaction, when I’m not feeling as strongly….I am noticing and understanding so much more because of having more awareness and mindfulness in the moment…. as I meditate more, I am becoming so much more aware in the moment and noticing inner reactions more quickly, before I react ….”

A few Mindfulness and Concentration links:
Learning to  “Notice, stop, step back, reflect, evaluate…..and shift….”
Learning to transform negative thinking into positive…
Monitoring thinking in the moment: “uh oh…Don’t go there…”
Using 10 Perfections (10 perfections is another “tradition”) Workbook  page for  Recognizing and using perfections
Another workbook page about 10 Perfections

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Wisdom

Bringing more wisdom…..
“this seems to be coming out of repeated habit patterns  I’ve developed over many, many years…with time I’ll learn more about this particular pattern and learn to lessen or replace it….. I have strengths and weaknesses and this situation has arisen out of  some of those…as I learn and understand more, the reactions will be lessened…. everyone has strengths and weakness and their own experiences and habit patterns, so just like myself, they have difficulty with reacting too… choices I make in reacting in this moment are reinforcing older patterns…do I want to do that or shall I try to let that go?….I can  try a new way and create more helpful, positive patterns…. everything passes and changes, so with time, this feeling will lessen…. seeds sprout and grow, so it makes sense that the seeds for this have been there and are sprouting now…with awareness and wisdom, I can plant new seeds and nurture new sprouts…”

A few Wisdom links:
Using more wisdom ideas…clear thinking steps…. “Clear thinking”
Adjusting: steps for using a variety of wisdom strategies… “Using a wide angle lens…adjusting
Some steps to help with adjusting or coping:  AIMS
Interdependence….Common Humanity…just like myself, all people want happiness….
Acceptance of Complexity of people’s minds: “Why do people do what they do?”
Impermanence of Feelings: “Feelings like clouds…moving on”

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An “overview” page about Perfections, with examples of ways I had thought of several years ago for using them in my everyday life …Examples of using 10 Perfections, (instead of 6 )

For me,
using these types of thoughts and phrases
seems to bring
some much appreciated soothing, kindness, gentleness and calming
to how I’m feeling…

If there isn’t time in that difficult moment,
I’ll sometimes take a quiet moment later
and reflect on these qualities
as they apply to the earlier situation…

The Six Perfections…..

There are several other posts, and images,  in this blog about the Six Perfections….just type “Perfections” in the upper right post column “search” box, if you’d like to see more……many are linked above, under the individual perfection quality…

Actually, I notice as I keep adding more links to this page….it seems that most of this blog, Pocket Perspectives,  seems to be about living the qualities of The Six Perfections…. : )

The perfections are very special….
I find that they bring
some really wonderful positive focus and expansiveness
to living one’s life….

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