Nineteenth century author and minister Ian Maclaren once famously said, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." It's a message that rings true in a story shared by renowned mindfulness expert and clinical psychologist Jack Kornfield, about the power of mindfulness to help keep us grounded. Here, he shares how we can train our minds and hearts to become more patient and compassionate.

As Kornfield notes, therapists have an integral role to play in helping our society heal right now. They're the "heart-holders" of our culture, he says, helping wounded people overcome fear, pain, and confusion, keeping in mind the possibilities for growth as they move through it.

"As therapists, you’re not just in the role of tending to individual spirits," he says in his Networker article, "you’re carrying something that the culture needs to survive and flower."