SELF-COMPASSION
A Kabbalistic Prayer & Psalm Guide for Softening the Inner Critic, Restoring Mercy & Learning to Relate to the Self with Love
SELF-COMPASSION
🌿 INTRODUCTION — SELF-COMPASSION IN KABBALAH
In Kabbalah, compassion is not sentimentality.
It is Rachamim — the harmonizing force that balances strict judgment (Gevurah) with loving flow (Chesed).
When compassion is missing inwardly, the soul becomes its own accuser.
Self-compassion is often blocked when:
love was conditional
mistakes were punished rather than guided
emotional needs were minimized
worth was tied to performance
vulnerability was unsafe
judgment replaced understanding
The Zohar teaches:
“Judgment without mercy fractures the soul.”
Self-compassion is not indulgence.
It is the medicine that allows repair, growth, and humility without self-destruction.
This prayer teaches the soul how to turn mercy inward — not to avoid responsibility, but to heal without cruelty.
🧭 SIGNS SELF-COMPASSION IS UNDERDEVELOPED
Harsh inner dialogue
Difficulty comforting yourself
Minimizing your pain
Expecting perfection
Shame for needing rest or help
Difficulty forgiving yourself
Fear that kindness will make you weak
Being gentler with others than with yourself
Chronic emotional exhaustion
Feeling undeserving of care
Self-compassion is not learned automatically.
It must be modeled, remembered, and practiced.
📜 PSALMS FOR MERCY, GENTLENESS & SELF-KINDNESS
1. Psalm 103:13–14 — Divine Compassion as Model
Hebrew:
כְּרַחֵם אָב עַל־בָּנִים
רִחַם יְהוָה עַל־יְרֵאָיו
Transliteration:
K’racham av al banim, richam Adonai al y’reiav.
English:
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Divine has compassion.”
This psalm teaches compassion as relationship, not evaluation.
2. Psalm 25:6 — Remembering Mercy
Hebrew:
זְכֹר־רַחֲמֶיךָ יְהוָה
Transliteration:
Z’chor rachamecha Adonai.
English:
“Remember Your compassion, O Divine.”
Used to reawaken softness after inner harshness.
3. Psalm 145:9 — Universal Kindness
Hebrew:
טוֹב־יְהוָה לַכֹּל
Transliteration:
Tov Adonai lakol.
English:
“The Divine is good to all.”
Affirms that compassion includes you.
🔮 DIVINE NAMES FOR SELF-COMPASSION & MERCY
1. ר־ח־ם (Resh–Chet–Mem)
Hebrew: רחם
Transliteration: RaChaM
Healing qualities:
Activates compassion
Softens self-judgment
Restores emotional mercy
2. ח־נ־ן (Chet–Nun–Nun)
Hebrew: חנן
Transliteration: ChaNaN
Healing qualities:
Invites grace without earning
Supports gentleness
Releases harsh self-expectations
3. ס־א־ל (Samech–Aleph–Lamed)
Hebrew: סאל
Transliteration: SaEL
Healing qualities:
Creates emotional safety
Stabilizes vulnerability
Grounds compassion into the body
✨ ANA B’KOACH FOR MERCY — LINE 5
Hebrew:
חָסִין קָדוֹשׁ בְּרֹב טוּבְךָ נַהֵל עֲדָתֶךָ
Transliteration:
Chasin Kadosh, b’rov tuvcha nahel adatecha.
English:
“Mighty and Holy One, in Your abundant goodness guide Your people.”
This line guides the soul away from cruelty and toward kindness.
🌹 KABBALISTIC COMMENTARY — MERCY ALLOWS GROWTH
The Zohar teaches:
“Where compassion flows, judgment dissolves.”
Without self-compassion:
growth becomes punishment
mistakes become identity
effort becomes exhaustion
spirituality becomes harsh
healing becomes conditional
With self-compassion:
responsibility remains
learning deepens
resilience strengthens
humility replaces shame
healing becomes sustainable
Compassion does not remove standards.
It removes violence from the process of becoming.
🌿 USAGE IN SESSION — SELF-COMPASSION PRACTICE
Invite the client to place one hand on the heart, one on the cheek.
Guide slow breathing with a soft gaze.
Recite Psalm 103:13 slowly, allowing warmth to arise.
Speak the Divine Name רחם (RaChaM) three times to awaken mercy.
Recite Psalm 145:9 to normalize kindness toward self.
Use Ana B’Koach Line 5 to guide gentleness.
Invite the affirmation:
“I am allowed to be kind to myself.”Close with grounding and tenderness.