Guided meditation · 17 min
How to Meditate on Compassion
Learn a simple seven-step way to sit, focus and wander off without judging yourself, with kindness at both ends.
With
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- Level
- Beginner friendly
- Style
- Guided meditation
- Sound
- Voice only
- Best time
- Early morning or night
About this session
- Builds steady focus
- Grows compassion
- Eases self-judgment
- Deepens presence
Gelong Thubten leads you through a structured sit with a clear shape: settle your posture, offer a heartfelt intention for others, then narrow your attention from the whole body to the breath moving your belly, and finally to air brushing the nostrils. A short closing dedication finishes it.
It suits anyone new to meditation, or anyone who keeps drifting off or doubting whether they are doing it right. Use it in the early morning, or late at night, when you want a practice with clear steps and a gentle, kind attitude toward your wandering mind.
After the session
01
A kinder view of wandering
See a drifting mind as part of practice.
02
Sharper, steadier attention
Practise noticing and returning, again and again.
03
A reliable structure
Take away a simple routine you can repeat.
04
Awake, open presence
Sit upright, grounded and relaxed together.
Who it’s for
Yes, if…
- Beginners who want a clear step-by-step way to meditate
- People who get sleepy or restless when they sit
- Anyone who judges their practice after every session
- Those who want kindness toward others to sit behind their meditation
Not now, if…
- Those who want to lie down and drift off to sleep
- People who prefer silent meditation without instruction
- Anyone looking for a quick, instant-result technique
About the teacher
Gelong Thubten
Buddhist Monk & Bestselling Author
Gelong Thubten is a Buddhist monk, meditation teacher and author from the UK. He became a monk 26 years ago and has spent over six years in intensive meditation retreats, the longest of which was 4 years long. He is now regarded as one of the UK’s most influential meditation teachers, with pioneering work teaching at universities, schools, major global companies such as Google and Deloitte, hospitals, prisons and rehab centres. He has lectured at Oxford University and for the United Nations, and he provides courses to medical students, doctors and nurses. He trained Benedict Cumberbatch and Tilda Swinton in meditation on the set of the Marvel movie ‘Dr. Strange’ and he collaborated with Ruby Wax and neuroscientist Ash Ranpura on the book ‘How to be Human’. Thubten is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller ‘A Monk’s Guide to Happiness’ and his next book ‘Handbook for Hard Times’ will be published in 2022.
See all by Gelong ThubtenQuestions people ask
Still unsure? Ask your assistant anything about this session.
Why are the eyes left softly open?
Gelong asks you to keep your eyes gently open, neither closed nor fully open, with your gaze angled slightly downward into space. You aren't looking at anything, such as the person in front of you or a spot on the carpet. This supports the alert, present quality he wants, rather than zoning out. You can still blink or close your eyes now and then.
What are the seven steps?
One is good posture. Two is establishing compassion, the reason you are meditating. Three is feeling the body, from the chair to the feet. Four is noticing how the breath moves the chest or belly. Five is the main step, feeling air in the nose or at the lips. Six is returning to the body, and seven is a closing dedication.
What does it mean to be disciplined and loose at once?
Gelong calls it a curious mixture. Your spine is upright, your head level, the back of your neck slightly lengthened and your shoulders open. Yet nothing is held rigid. The idea is courage and openness instead of hunching, sinking or leaning back.
Why does the practice narrow from the body to the nostrils?
It works like a warm-up, main exercise and warm-down. You start with a broad sense of touch and the body's contact with the chair and floor, then the wave-like movement of the breath. Then you zero in on the precise flow of air in the nostrils. If your nose is blocked, you feel the air on your lips.
What if I feel sleepy during it?
Gelong says this is very common, especially if you are new or don't sit daily. The body links stillness with sleep, a bit like a laptop going into sleep mode. He says that with regular practice the sleepiness tends to lift and you feel more present and focused.
How does he suggest I stay consistent with timing?
Decide on a length, such as ten minutes, and commit to it no matter what. You can use a gentle alarm, like a soft ping, or glance at a watch beside you. Without this, he says, you may stop after two minutes and go make coffee.