Compassion is our ability to be completely present to other beings, listening to them with an open heart. You are providing a safe space for emotions to be heard and felt. Compassion literally means ‘to suffer together.’ Among emotion researchers, it is defined as the feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.
• Compassion makes us feel happy
• It makes us attractive
• It uplifts everyone around us
• It spreads like wildfire
• It boosts our health and longevity
• It gets us out of a funk
• It gives us more time
• It’s completely natural
On the 1st and 15th of each month, classes at Phoenix will focus on developing compassion within our hearts. Beginning with a motivation to practice for the benefit of others, we will then conclude each class with a short meditation to generate more compassion and kindness.
In the Tibetan Buddhist Mahayana tradition, the practice is aimed at striving towards becoming a ‘bodhisattva’ or enlightened being. This bodhisattva, out of immense compassion for sentient beings, prolongs the final step to complete enlightenment so they may continue to help others relieve their suffering.
Living with compassion makes your life easy and free of confusion and problems. It is the source of all happiness and peace in your daily life. By making your attitude – the unmistaken attitude with which you live your life, one of compassion for all beings, you fulfil your purpose of being born human.
When your attitude is that of simply seeking your own happiness, the attitude itself attracts many difficulties and creates obstacles to your own success. Even if you are trying to serve others, when your basic motivation is that of seeking your own happiness, you experience many ego clashes and personality problems in trying to work with other people. Whether you are working in a meditation center or an office, if you are self-centred, you will bring all kinds of useless garbage into your life, especially when associating with or dealing with others.
On the contrary, if there is compassion in your heart, you do not harm others. Instead of receiving harm from you, they receive peace and happiness. It is our personal responsibility to bring peace and happiness to all others. Why? Because our own peace and happiness depends upon the kindness and compassion we receive from them.
• Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight, your hands resting in your lap.
• Close you eyes. Focus on the movement of your breath.
• Think about the problems that you experience in your life.
• Now think about the many others who are also suffering those same problems.
• Allow your heart to open to these other sentient beings.
• Stay with this feeling for a little while.
• After a few minutes return to your breath. Remember any insights you gained from this meditation.
• Dedicate your meditation and all your actions of body, speech and mind to the health and happiness of all other beings.
• Rise from your meditation.
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