THUBTEN  
ON COMPASSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Your Quest for Training Compassion and Forgiveness 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
Welcome 3 
 
Day 1 - Understanding Compassion 5 
 
Day 2 - Compassion Meditation 7 
 
Day 3 - Compassion Expansion 8 
 
Day 4 - Understanding Forgiveness 9 
 
Day 5 - Forgiveness & Thoughts 11 
 
Day 6 - Experiencing Forgiveness 13 
 
Day 7 - Experiencing & Letting Go 14 
 
 
 
 
   

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 Welcome 
 
“Meditation helps to make friends with our mind.” 
 
 
SUMMARY 
 
1) The methods to be covered in this Quest are for everybody - religion or no religion. 
2) When meditation is based on compassion the positive results on the brain are much 
greater.  
3) We will access the deep part of yourself that is already compassionate. 
 
NOTES FROM TODAY’S LESSON 

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PRACTICE 
 
1. PREPARE YOUR QUEST 
 
1. ​Prepare a quiet place​ you can use for the next 7 days to follow the lessons and practice 
meditation.  
 
2. ​Set up a chair​ for meditation. You can also use a meditation cushion if that’s what you’re used 
to. It is important that you sit upright and don’t lie down. 
 
3. ​Prepare a pen and paper​ to take notes in this workbook and to do the exercises 
recommended by Gelong Thubten. 
 

   

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 Day 1 - Understanding Compassion 
 
“On the journey of personal development compassion is  
the most important quality.” 
 
 
SUMMARY 
 
1) Compassion means expanding the heart and connecting with all sentient beings without 
condition.  
2) True compassion doesn't require validation.  
3) Our compassion can be limited by expectations, preferences, emotional triggers and 
helplessness. 
 
NOTES FROM TODAY’S LESSON 

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PRACTICE 
 
1. REFLECT ON THE LIMITATIONS OF COMPASSION 
 
The 4 things that are likely to limit your capacity to feel ​unconditional compassion​,​ ​are as 
follows:  
 
1. Expectation​ - Needing something back in return for your compassion. This makes 
compassion conditional. 
 
2. Preference​ - Being naturally more compassionate to people close to us, friends and 
family. Having trouble with feeling compassion towards people we don’t know or don’t 
like. 
 
3. Depending on an ​emotional trigger​ - Only feeling compassion when someone’s suffering 
is obvious. 
 
4. Helplessness​ - Compassion is mixed up with frustration and anger about the suffering in 
the world we seem to have no control over. 
 
Sit in contemplation or observe yourself during the day which of the limitations mentioned above 
have a hold on you. Take notes.  

Make a commitment: 
 
I,____________________, create and uphold the strong intention to train in compassion and to 
move past these limits. 
 
_______________________ 
Signature   

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 Day 2 - Compassion Meditation 
 
“The first step is to develop inner peace.” 
 
 
SUMMARY 
 
1) Abandon the idea of clearing or emptying your mind in meditation.  
2) Meditation has 3 parts: Focusing on breath, getting distracted and realizing the drift. 
3) Come back to the breath with kindness and compassion for yourself.  
4) Meditation is relaxing into the present moment and to discover that happiness is right 
there within you. 
 
 
NOTES FROM TODAY’S LESSON 

PRACTICE 
 
1. CONNECT TO THE BREATH 
 
During the day, connect as often as possible to your own breath and feel the ground under your 
feet. Enjoy these miro-moments of mindfulness throughout the day. 

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 Day 3 - Compassion Expansion 
 
“You’re developing enormous power - the ability to bring your mind  
into this moment.” 
 
 
SUMMARY 
 
1) Expand compassion by starting with someone important to you and then spreading it to 
everybody. 
 
 
NOTES FROM TODAY’S LESSON 

PRACTICE 
 
1. MEDITATE 
 
Repeat the compassion meditation you learned today by yourself for 5-10 minutes. 

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 Day 4 - Understanding Forgiveness 
 
“To feel compassion for those who wronged us is very challenging  
and yet, very powerful.” 
 
 
SUMMARY
 
 
1) Forgiveness training is the top level of compassion development. 
2) Not forgiving is pain, while forgiveness is power.  
3) Forgiveness leads to inner peace which leads to world peace. 
 
 
NOTES FROM TODAY’S LESSON 

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PRACTICE 
 
1. THE LETTER EXERCISE 
 
1. Make a list with all the people you need to forgive.  

2. Choose one person on that list.  

 
3. Write them a letter and pour out what you feel. Don't send the letter. Use additional paper if 
you need to. 

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 Day 5 - Forgiveness & Thoughts 
 
“If you can have compassion towards your mind, you can have compassion 
towards others.” 
 
 
SUMMARY
 
 
1) Practice forgiveness for every reality that makes you feel uncomfortable.  
2) People who hurt and challenge you are incredible teachers.  
3) Use gratitude and understanding to feel compassion for your enemies. 
 
 
NOTES FROM TODAY’S LESSON 

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PRACTICE 
 
1. PRACTICE UNDERSTANDING AND GRATITUDE 
 
Understanding and gratitude help us to feel compassion for others, including those who wronged 
us. Sit in contemplation and go through the following steps: 
 
1. Call to mind someone you can't forgive. 
  
2. Feel gratitude for them. See them as your teacher. 
  
3. Swap mentally places with them. Explore their suffering and understand. 
 
 
Take notes. 
 
In what way can you see that person as a teacher? How is this person helping you to grow? 

What might be their underlying suffering? What understanding can you generate for them?  

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 Day 6 - Experiencing Forgiveness 
 
“You are building pathways of joy in your brain.” 
 
 
SUMMARY
 
 
1) Practice micro moments of mindfulness to bring meditation into daily life.  
2) Experiencing mindfulness in situations of discomfort trains compassion.  
3) Being mindful in challenging situations creates happiness. 
 
 
NOTES FROM TODAY’S LESSON 

PRACTICE 
 
1. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS 
 
1. Practice micro moments of mindfulness.  
2. Practice mindfulness in a situation where you have to wait. 
   

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 Day 7 - Experiencing & Letting Go 
 
“We need to nourish our mind with meditation.” 
 
 
 
SUMMARY
 
 
1) The deepest aspect of meditation is to become the observer of your mind.  
2) In meditation you learn to identify with the pure, deep, and wise awareness that you are.  
3) Practicing meditation helps you to naturally let go of triggers and hurts. 
 
 
NOTES FROM TODAY’S LESSON 

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PRACTICE 
 
1. MEDITATE 
 
Practice the breathing, sky or space meditation on your own. 
 
 
2. LETTER EXERCISE 
 
 
1) Read your letter from Day 4 again with the mind that has gone through this Quest. How 
much do you still identify with the pain? Are you able to observe the judgments and 
feelings? Explore how you feel about it. 

 
 

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 2) Write a letter from the other person to you. Imagine you are the other person. Write from 
their point of view about the situation and what they are feeling and thinking about it. 

 
3) Put both letters in front of you and try to see that it is all a matter of perspective.  
 
 
3. JOURNAL  
 
1) Celebrate yourself for following through with this Quest! How can you reward yourself for 
your progress? 

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2. Reflect on what you have learned. What are your 3 main takeaways from this Quest? 
 
1) _____________________________________________________________________ 
 
2) _____________________________________________________________________ 
 
3) _____________________________________________________________________ 
 
 
4. SHARE WITH A FRIEND 
 
Share your insights with a friend and teach them what you learned in the last 7 days. Celebrate 
yourself for dedicating 7 days to the powerful practice of compassion. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

CONGRATULATIONS ON 
COMPLETING THIS QUEST! 
 
 
YOU ARE ON YOUR BEST WAY TO  
DEVELOP COMPASSION FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS! 

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