Facilitating the 16 Guidelines Meditations Course: Reflections from Mexico

Featuring: Martha Cabral

Shortly after launching the pilot of the new 16 Guidelines Meditations Course in 2024, we invited Martha Cabral to explore this new resource and share her experience. Martha, a long-time facilitator of the 16 Guidelines programme based in Mexico, has been sharing its wisdom for many years with her characteristically warm and heartfelt style.

In this article, she reflects on offering the course online, which she chose to call Meditations on the Qualities of the Heart.

Rediscovering Kindness in Challenging Times

We are living in challenging times. The pace of life feels ever faster, and constant stimulation can push us to react impulsively, often without care or reflection. At times, it can seem as though we forget our natural capacity for goodness, if we even recognise that it is there.

The 16 Guidelines Meditations Course offers a practical way to reconnect with that inner goodness. Aware that our busy daily lives can limit time for reflection, FDCW created this mindfulness meditations course as a space to pause, explore and strengthen our compassionate qualities in weekly one-hour sessions. It is a simple yet powerful option for anyone navigating today’s hectic world.

A Beautiful and Enriching Experience

A few months ago, I facilitated the 16 Guidelines Meditations Course online under the name Meditations on the Qualities of the Heart. It became a truly meaningful experience, a chance to reconnect with the best within ourselves and remember that everything we say and do begins in the mind.

The online sessions offered practical ways to work with our thoughts, develop positive qualities, and bring more calm and clarity into daily life. Above all, they reminded us that we already have the inner resources we need.

Because the course was held online, participation was accessible to many people. We welcomed participants from different cities in Mexico, as well as from Colombia. From the very first session, there was a sense of shared inspiration, myself included. Reflecting on the Guidelines reminded us that these qualities are always present, ready to benefit both ourselves and others.

That weekly hour became a haven of peace amid the flow of daily life.

How the 16 Guidelines Meditations Course Sessions Work

The sessions follow a simple yet complete structure:

• We begin with a short meditation on basic awareness.
• The Guideline of the week is introduced.
• We engage in a guided meditation on that Guideline.
• Participants pair up to discuss how they relate to and live that Guideline in daily life.
• Finally, we close with a reflection to carry into the week ahead.

Even within just one hour, participants were able to connect deeply with the Guidelines. The 16 Guidelines Meditations Course became a welcome opportunity to step away from everyday concerns and reconnect with the qualities of the heart we all possess.

The feedback reflected how meaningful the experience was.

Participants’ Reflections

“I found it wonderful that workshops like this exist — ones that help us grow and get to know ourselves better. It was well structured and engaging. The initial meditation helped calm the mind and improve focus. Sharing with others made me more empathetic and aware that others face similar challenges.”

“This workshop is very down-to-earth and accessible to everyone. The topics are highly relevant and offer a refreshing, practical perspective for daily life. The facilitator made sure everyone’s opinions were heard and valued. I could write a whole scroll about all the benefits this workshop brought me!”

“Each session brought me calm and well-being through the meditations and reflections. Two qualities that resonated deeply with me were Altruism and Forgiveness. I’m taking with me the tools I received to keep practising and to become better, for everyone’s benefit. Thank you to all who made this workshop possible.”

A Shared Space for Inner Growth

Facilitating the 16 Guidelines Meditations Course was deeply fulfilling for me. Seeing participants’ expressions, hearing their insights, and witnessing their growth and emotional balance brought great joy. It was also an invitation for my own reflection and an opportunity to reconnect with the Guidelines in a fresh way.

Without a doubt, this Meditations course became a shared space for inner and outer peace, a reminder that kindness, calm and compassion are always within us. We simply need time and support to recognise and practise them.

If you are looking for a structured and accessible way to explore the 16 Guidelines in your community, the 16 Guidelines Meditations Course is available to download. Your donations help FDCW continue developing and sharing ethical education programmes around the world.

Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW)

At FDCW, we are committed to a more compassionate, wiser world. We provide resources, courses and training to develop qualities such as kindness, patience and honesty – qualities that are essential for meeting the challenges of the world we all share.

The Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW) was established as a global charity based in London in 2005. Since then, we have provided secular training, programmes and resources across many sectors of society – schools, universities, hospices, workplaces, healthcare, youth groups and community centres. Our courses have reached thousands of people across the world through our dedicated and growing network of facilitators in more than 20 countries.

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