The first beneficiary of compassion is always oneself. When compassion, or warm-heartedness, arises in us and our focus shifts away from our own narrow self-interest, it is as if we open an inner door. It reduces fear, boosts confidence and brings us inner strength. By reducing distrust, it opens us to others and brings us a sense of connection to others, and sense of purpose and meaning in life. Practicing compassion is a two-way street. We benefit immensely. The other person or persons also benefit.
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How do we practice compassion?
How do we practice compassion? The six perfections (Sanskrit paramitas) are instructions for practicing compassion. Generosity has various methods, like giving money, shelter and food, giving time, giving kindness, listening non-judgmentally, giving love, and giving […]
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Recognize, and let go
Compassion for others works best starting with compassion for ourselves. During this most challenging time of our lives, taking good care of ourselves is paramount. It is a matter of survival. Let’s make recognizing feeling […]
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Wishing and acting to relieve suffering
Compassion is often misunderstood. We don’t have a good English word for ‘nyingje’ in Tibetan, or ‘karuṇā’ in Sanskrit. In addition to ‘wishing and acting to relieve suffering,’ compassion is nourished by wisdom. It is […]