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The idea of The 16 Little Guides to Love,
Compassion, and Wisdom stems from a couple of workshops
taken at The Center for Compassion and Wisdom in Burlington,
Ontario, Canada. The workshops are based on the book "16
guidelines for life" by Alison Murdoch and Deyki-Lee
Oldershaw, and focus on practical exercises to improve our
quality of life. The book provides a framework for reflecting
on the way we think, speak, and act.
The 16 Little Guides to Love, Compassion,
and Wisdom are statues, approximately 2.5" to 3"
in height x 1.5" to 2" in width and length. The size
varies slightly, for they are all hand made, hand painted, finished
with a gloss, and are part of a limited numbered edition. They
can sit in a drawer at the office (to remember to be of service),
on a kitchen shelf at home (to be gentler in our speech with family
members), in our vehicle (to remain patient), on our bedside table
(to be content with the little gifts of the day)...wherever we
experience the most difficulties, conflicts, personal doubts...
They can also be reminders of our strengths,
and illustrate our everyday successes. In a drawer at the office
(how helpful we might have been), on a kitchen shelf at home (how
forgiving and generous we might have been), in our vehicle (how
patiently we may have reacted), on our bedside table (how brave
we are facing a difficult situation)...
With the help of the guides we use the most,
we can encourage the ones we use the least to emerge.
The origin:
The concept of the 16 guidelines for life is
based on an original text from King Songtsen Gampo in
7th century Tibet. The 16 Guidelines offer a practical introduction
to secular ethics, starting with Humility and ending with Courage.
They are divided into four wisdom themes: How we think (the power
of the mind); How we act (that every action brings a result);
How we relate to others (that we are all interdependent) and How
we find meaning (impermanence).
The practice:
The 16 Guidelines is an initiative taken by "Essential
Education, The Foundation for Developing Compassion and
Wisdom" : it proposes that developing natural capacity
for compassion and wisdom is the key to making lives happier and
more peaceful – and to making a positive contribution in
the world.
Over the past five years, books and training
courses have been used in schools, hospices, prisons and workplaces
on five continents. They are suitable for people of all ages,
cultures and traditions.
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