Over the past decade, an overwhelming body of research has shown self-compassion to be key to good psychological and physical health. Whether you wish to reduce stress, develop healthy habits for exercise or diet, unlock your creativity, or even deal with serious conditions such as depression or addiction, a strong sense of self-compassion is an essential ingredient for success. Best of all, self-compassion is a skill that can be learned. Dr. Kristin Neff presents a simple guided meditation focusing on gratitude and kindness toward every part of the body.

Sounds True Practices are short downloadable audio sessions selected from our most popular courses. Affordably priced and ideal for beginners, they're a powerful way to use energy healing, guided imagery, meditation, and other proven practices at home or on the go. Put them on your smartphone, MP3 player, tablet device, or computer … and start experiencing their benefits today.

This session is excerpted from Kristin Neff's 6-CD audio program Self-Compassion Step by Step.