Compassion Meditation

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with Eleven Heads, 16th century, Tibet

Avalokiteshvara is the bodhisattva of compassion, and in his eleven-headed form, he is the patron deity of Tibet and of the Dalai Lama. It is said that his head split into ten fragments when he learned of the suffering of the world. Here, we see a pyramidal arrangement of nine heads that are tranquil and one that is wrathful to fight negative forces. The eleventh head, on the top of the pyramid, is that of his spiritual father, the Buddha Amithaba. With his eleven heads, he contemplates the many ways to help others.

Take a moment to contemplate compassion.

• Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
• Place your hand over your heart, take a few deep breaths and feel your heartbeat.
• Breathe in love and exhale love.
• With each breath, feel your whole body filling up with love.
• Imagine someone in your life sitting in front of you who could use some comfort.
• Visualize sharing your love with this person.
• Gently open your eyes and notice how you feel.