Compassion
This awesome video by Sharon Salzburg really gets to the heart of compassion. A quick online search for compassion shows a variety of definitions. "Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of another." "Sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it." "Compassion motivates people to go out of their way to help." However you define it, I think we can agree that compassion is something we could all benefit from more of.
Sharon Salzburg is a widely-known meditation teacher who specializes in the practice of lovingkindness or metta meditation. Metta meditation includes a mantra that you repeat to yourself wishing loved ones, strangers, people you have difficulty with, yourself, and the whole world peace, safety, and love. I thought it sounded cheesy at first but, since trying it, its become one of my favorites. The mantra helps me to focus and I feel both more relaxed and more connected when I'm done. (Find out more about Sharon's work with loving kindness meditation here)
In this video, Sharon is teaching us how mindfulness can help enhance our feelings of compassion. By being present and paying attention to the people around us, we are more likely to see them as the full human beings that they are. This deepening knowledge will, by nature, help us to feel more compassionate for them. I see it in my therapy practice all the time. My job is, at its core, to sit and be present with someone for an hour a week. This presence (as well as the curiosity and empathy I try to maintain) really builds my compassion for my patients as struggling people.
I would also challenge us to intentionally build compassion for ourselves. Most people are better at being compassionate with others than they are at being compassionate to themselves. I get it, I'm one of them. Take a look at your self-talk over a week or so and see. Is it uplifting, supportive, and loving? Or is it negative, judgmental, and shaming? This constant chatter in our heads has a huge impact on our mood so its important to cultivate positivity. (If you want to explore self-compassion more, here's a cool exercise I like.)
Building compassion for yourselves and others is a revolutionary act in a society that reinforces judgment and shaming. It will enhance your mood, energy level, and relationships. Plus, it just feels good. Give it a try and see what you think!
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