What are the 16 Guidelines?
16 Guidelines for Life (16G) is a framework of ethical values rooted in compassion and wisdom. The benefits of compassion have been widely studied and include reducing the risk of burnout, increased resilience and a happier, more fulfilling life. Compassion is not the same as empathy. Empathy allows us to recognise someone else’s emotions and understand their perspective. Compassion adds action to empathy. With compassion, we recognise and understand another person’s emotion and are able to take a step back and ask ourselves what we can do to support them.
Compassion is not a selfless act, in fact it starts with self-compassion and self-care. You cannot pour from an empty cup. By first offering ourselves the same level of nurturing that we want to offer to others, the question of what we can do to benefit others naturally arises.
The 16 Guidelines for Life are a way of bringing wisdom and compassion into action. They offer inspiration based on timeless ethical values which can help to guide our intention to help with wisdom and skill.
How we relate to others
To take care of others is to take care of ourselves
Respect
Forgiveness
Gratitude
Loyalty
How we find meaning
If everything is changing, many things are possible
Aspiration
Principles
Service
Courage
History
The 16 Guidelines for Life are inspired by a collection of advice that was drawn up to promote peace and wellbeing in 7th century Tibet.
The aim and function of this advice (traditionally known as the 16 Human Dharmas) was to help people of any age, educational background, culture or life situation to co-exist in a harmonious way.
Experience
“The powerful simplicity of 16 Guidelines is unnerving in the beginning. I very quickly put what I had learned that weekend into practice and found that it was extremely versatile.”
