Compassion

I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These are your greatest treasures. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world. ~ Lao-Tzu

 

 In deep and lasting ways, when we heal ourselves, we heal the world. For as the body is only as healthy as its individual cells, the world is only as healthy as its individual souls. ~ Nepo

The idea that the compassion we show towards ourselves, our practice of self care and acceptance are so crucial in forwards movement and growth of the world is astounding.  Before reading this I hadn't really thought about compassion as such a collective global concern.  I have always known that it is important for me to be healthy of body. mind and spirit and I do the best I can to model that to my child, clients, students, family and friends, but it was while reading yesterdays daily reading in The Book of Awakening, by Mark Nepo, that I put it all together. 

Being compassionate means taking time, time for self, time for others.  Letting go of judgements, not harboring resentments. Accepting the humanness of those around us and forgiving the imperfections for ourselves, the other person and the world.

I leave you with this challenge, take time out today in the busy world, to stop and show compassion to others as a means of being compassionate to self.  When I become angry, and harbor resentments, I feel terrible for it. When I accept my feelings, even anger, it allows me to move beyond that emotion and demonstrate compassion. 

Ask yourself this, how am I changing the world through my acts of  compassion? Not sure?? Maybe it's time to think about that, maybe, just maybe, your act of compassion will make the difference in an otherwise terrible day, giving others the chance to pay it forward, thus changing the world.

Namaste