Karuna Maitri

Karuna: The Essence of Compassion

• Karuna is a Sanskrit word, that embraces a sacred concept in many ancient traditions. It embodies the profound principle of “compassion in action”.

• Karuna is a concept from Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and is often associated with the idea of wanting to alleviate suffering.

• Karuna is more than just sympathy; it is an active, empathetic response to suffering, a deep desire to alleviate pain and promote well-being.

• Karuna is the sourced by grace; the compassionate understanding that we are all human, we all mess up and do things we regret, but that it’s never too late to turn from the mistakes of the past and move in a new direction.

• Karuna is the gentle hand extended, the understanding gaze, the silent promise that you are not alone in your journey.

• Karuna is the recognition of your inherent worth and the commitment to walk alongside you as you navigate your path to healing and self-discovery.

• Karuna means you are held in a safe caring space; your experiences are acknowledged without judgment, your story can be told without shame, your voice can be heard without being silenced, your heart can begin to trust, and your spirit can begin to heal.

Maitri: Unconditional Loving-Kindness

• Maitri is a Pali word meaning “friend”.

• Maitri is also a sacred concept embedded in ancient traditions, and involves loving-kindness, friendliness, and a genuine, selfless desire to make things better for oneself and others.

• Maitri is a boundless, all-encompassing love that seeks the happiness and well-being of all beings, free from attachment or expectation.

• Maitri is the foundation upon which true acceptance is built.

• Maitri is a warmth that envelops you, a sense of protection that holds you, the unwavering belief in your capacity for love, acceptance, joy and peace, and the gentle encouragement to embrace and accept your authentic self.

• Maitri invites you to shed the burdens of the past, to release the need for defensive behaviours, and to simply be.

• Maitri is the quiet affirmation that you are safe, you are seen, you are honored, and you are worthy of all the love and kindness the universe has to offer.

Why do we need Karuna Maitri?

So many people are searching for something; going through life feeling that something is missing. The more we try to fill the gap with people, food, alcohol activity and “things” the emptier we become.

Why? Because we have been looking in the wrong place! What we have really been searching for all along is our true self!

Why do so many of us feel “lost” or that something is missing?

• Some of us have been broken, shattered or dissociated through extreme abuse or other forms of trauma.

• Some of us have had to disconnect from ourselves to survive the pain of emotional and physical neglect or being subjected to dehumanizing behaviors

• Others have never had the parenting, support and nurture as children to allow their real self to ever fully emerge, or when they have allowed their true self to be seen, they have been mocked, ridiculed, punished or made to feel so “wrong” or unacceptable that they have spent the rest of their lives battling to ensure they never resurface again.

• Many have spent their whole life being the person that they think others want them to be, trying so hard to fit in, belong, please others, meet expectations, never disappoint, they have never stopped to ask themselves what they really want.

• Others may once have been fortunate enough to grow up knowing who they are and what they wanted, but over time, life commitments and responsibilities have taken over, and they are so busy being a human “doing” they never have time to be a human “being”.

How Can Karuna Maitri Help?

Karuna Maitri will give you uninterrupted time to find and reconnect with your true self.

Karuna Maitri will allow you to experience genuine acceptance, compassion and loving kindness. You will be honored and seen as a unique human being. You will be guided and supported to reconnect with your true, authentic self and discover your true destiny.

What will happen a Karuna Maitri session?

• Karuna Maitri is available as one-to-one or group sessions.

• Before the first session, you will be asked to complete a short questionnaire

• Each session will last for 60 – 90 minutes.

• Each session will start with a short discussion about how you are feeling and what is going on for you and what you are hoping to get out of the session

• We will then use grounding / breathing / relaxation techniques to help you settle and feel safe.

• The main part of the session will vary in content from session to session depending on your needs. It may simple involve quietly relaxing and allowing yourself to “be” and feel acceptance, compassion and loving kindness. Or it may involve guided meditations, sensory awareness (such as gentle hand and head massage), sound therapy, creative writing or other activities, all with the aim of helping you discover, reconnect and learn to accept, love and care for your true self.

• Each session will end with a time of reflection, for you to express how you are feeling and any hopes / intentions / goals you may want to set.

You didn’t come this far to stop

Karuna Matri IS:

• Making space for you to experience acceptance, compassion and loving kindness

• Providing you with the opportunity to stop, relax and “be” yourself

  Using evidence-based practices to help your “fright, flight, fight, threat” survival response to switch off, allowing you to relax and feel safe

• A place where you can explore what you are searching for, what you think you are missing and what steps you can take to address those unmet needs

• Fully inclusive and trauma-informed

Karuna Maitri IS NOT:

• A counselling service

• A crisis or mental health service

• A replacement for treatments prescribed by a health professional

But we can help with signposting to the above services if you need to access them.

To find out more, or to book a Karuna Maitri session, use the booking form below

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