singled out

singled out, originally uploaded by emdot.

She is hard on herself.

I mentioned to her that her New Year's Resolution should be to practice more self-kindness.

And I knew what was going on in her head. She should learn to be kinder to others first. Or that focusing on herself in that way is somehow selfish. She should focus on others.

So, then I said, "You know how the airlines always say in case of a loss of cabin pressure parents should put their oxygen mask on first before helping their child? It's the same with self-compassion. You gotta put on your Oxygen Mask of Self Compassion before you can help someone else."

"Is this a buddhist teaching?" she asked me.

"Yes," I said, "yes it is. The Dharma of the Oxygen Mask of Self Compassion. Bodhi svaha."