ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses in depth the seven virtues that characterize highly compassionate people. The virtues include mindfulness, self-awareness, gratitude, perspective taking, empathy, kindness, and altruism. These virtues are connected on a Ladder of Compassion, symbolizing how people can progressively move toward a more compassion-driven life as they acquire each virtue, step-by-step. The first three steps (mindfulness, self-awareness, and gratitude) build self-understanding. The next two steps (perspective taking and empathy) foster the understanding of others. The last two (kindness and altruism) transform compassionate motivation into compassionate action. Each virtue is defined and related to compassion, followed by a scale for readers to rate themselves. The chapter also suggests practices that can help build each virtue. Although each virtue is discussed one by one, the discussion closes by emphasizing that they are interconnected. Taken together, they promote a compassion-driven life.
