Table 1.

Compassion cultivation training protocol.

Session	Contents
1 - Settling and focusing the mind	Introduction to breath-focused meditation to calm and focus the mind, forming the foundation for subsequent practices.
2 - Loving-kindness and compassion for a loved one	Recognizing and feeling love and compassion through meditation and practical exercises, focusing on warmth, tenderness, and concern.
3 - Compassion for oneself	Developing self-acceptance, non-judgment, and caring in self-relations, forming the basis for compassion towards others.
4 - Loving-kindness for oneself	Fostering warmth, appreciation, joy, and gratitude towards oneself, complementing self-acceptance with self-appreciation.
5 - Common humanity and appreciation of others	Building compassion for others by recognizing shared humanity and the interconnectedness of all people.
6 - Cultivating compassion for others	Extending compassion progressively from loved ones to neutral individuals, difficult persons, and all beings.
7 - Active compassion practice	Engaging in “tonglen” practice, visualizing taking away others’ suffering and giving them beneficial qualities.
8 - Integrated practice	Combining core elements from all six steps into a daily integrated compassion meditation practice.