COMPASSION | Part VI ~ The Core Value Series

 

Something really beautiful happened this week. A small miracle, a very timely one.

I had been feeling stress building over the course of about ten days and maybe I had been burying my head under a rock and not really dealing with it….

On this one particular morning I was out for a walk with my baby and our dog getting some fresh air and focusing on being mindful and in the moment because exercise and nature are such great healers for me… and I had a vision or flash of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion.

I was reminded of a small statue that a sweet friend bought for me after baby was born – a rose quartz statue of Kuan Yin, (Kuan Yin and baby) to symbolise the love and compassion a mother has for her little baby.

I spent a few good minutes dwelling on this vision, and took the opportunity to pray to this deity for a little extra compassion towards myself and others in order to work through this little bump in the road.

Then the small miracle occurred.

I went home and felt drawn to pull a card from a deck I have called ‘Universal Wisdom Oracle Cards’ by the incredibly talented artist Toni Carmine Salerno.

I pulled out the deck and a card flew from the pack – which card was it you ask?

The card of compassion.

“Okay Universe”, I thought. “I’m listening.”

I almost had a tear when I read Toni’s beautiful words on compassion:

 

“You are a Jewel.

Even though you may not see it,

All that you consider to be imperfect

Allows greater light to shine through,

Even in darkness you shine eternally bright.”

 

He went on to say:

“Kuan Yin known in Buddhism as the Goddess of Compassion and Mercy has shown up in your reading today to ask you to be more compassionate towards yourself. She asks you to reflect on the many times you have critical thoughts about yourself. Make an effort to replace those negative thoughts with positive and loving ones.

Your spirit lives always in perfection, even though from the physical plane you may perceive that you are less than perfect. Perfection exists in all things, even though we may not always see it. All is perfect and all is sacred.

Remember that the physical world is simply spirit clothed in matter. From a spiritual perspective life is a game whose sole objective is for us to remember who we truly are. You are an eternal being of love and light and even though your mind may see imperfection in many things, in actuality everything is perfect just the way it is. Everything serves a purpose otherwise it would cease to exist. Do not strive to perfect your flaws. Accept them. Love yourself as you are.

View things compassionately and you will see the underlying beauty that exists in all things.”

 

Now I had not looked at these cards for a long long time, but there was a sense of divine timing to how this day was unfolding. I saw it as a clear message that my thoughts had been harsh… overly judgemental and self-critical.

It was a wake up call! A reminder to breathe and infuse my mind with compassion and acceptance of what is. It is what it is and it’s all okay.

Thank you Kuan Yin. 

And so I began writing this piece on compassion….

 

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary compassion (noun) means:

sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.

I love this because it’s a reminder that empathy is at the heart of compassion. A basic understanding of the plight of others is really what compassion is all about.

 

So as I’ve been exploring compassion, I’ve come to realise that it’s something at the core of me that I value deeply.

But I have to admit, sometimes I still forget to tap into this boundless resource.

In my darker moments my compassion for myself can be severely lacking.

My self talk can be harsh and I can have high expectations of myself, which means I’m certainly not being as kind and gentle to myself as I would like to be.

In these moments I try to remember to speak to myself like I would to a friend in need. Encouraging words – words of affirmation. It helps a lot.

There is some shame to admit it, but there are times I find myself automatically judging others.

We all do it (some more than others – and awareness is just so important.)

When I catch myself having these judgemental thoughts about others, I swiftly remember to put myself in their shoes.

I close my eyes and just for a moment I try to imagine what it would feel like to be them.

Allowing their struggles, their challenges, their fears and their triumphs to wash over me… helping to create a healthier perspective – one that allows for forgiveness, for love, for deeper connection.

These moments provide me with opportunities to practice compassion and for that I am grateful.

 

I asked the lovely Vickie from Heart Flow what compassion means to her and she had these super inspiring and unique words to share.

 

“Com+passion is a commitment to our passion. Sometimes life may get tough and rocky and our commitments may waiver. This is an opportunity for us to practice holding ourselves with compassion, in a nurturing space to soothe ourselves and allow our emotions to flow until we are ready to stand again. Hold your passion in your vision and commit to it with your whole heart. And when you falter sweetheart, give yourself the gift of compassion.”

 

This is so loving, because we all falter, we all make mistakes, but if we can wrap ourselves up in love and compassion and learn how to self-soothe it’s a beautiful thing.

 

So, practically speaking what does it mean to be a compassionate person and to live a more compassionate life?

 

Opportunities to Practice Compassion in Your Day

• when that ‘thing’ that you thought you were over triggers you again
• when you find yourself judging another for the thing they did (or didn’t) do
• when you find yourself having overly harsh or critical thoughts about yourself
• when you feel frustrated by circumstances or events that are beyond your control
• when you feel anger, resentment, fear, sadness or other negative mind states
• when you witness someone speaking harshly, gossiping or acting out in some way (in Buddhist philosophy those who are mean to you are the ones that require the most compassion from you because their suffering is extreme).

 

Strategies for Practising Compassion

• Close your eyes and for a moment imagine yourself ‘in another person’s shoes’. Imagine how it feels to have their hardships, their challenges, their joys
• Meditate on compassion – you can send love to others (visualise as a white or pink light), this is particularly useful if you are experiencing conflict or difficulty in a relationship
• When you feel a judgemental or critical thought arise, shine the light of awareness on it – see where it came from, allow it to be there without following it ‘down the rabbit hole’ and breathe until it passes
• Give to another who is suffering, give your time to listen, give your energy, share your prosperity, help them with their inner healing or journey in some small way
• Use affirmations as below

 

My Favourite Affirmations for Compassion

• I radiate love and compassion
• I forgive (fill in the blank) and embrace them in compassion
• I love and approve of myself
• I love and approve of others

 

I will leave you with this quote from one of my favourite humans, His Holiness the Dalai Lama who I was blessed to see and hear in person in 2014.

His simple words fill me with love and peace… always. I hope they do the same for you.

 

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.

If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

 

Much love,