Habit of Compassion

Every individual is a compassionate person at some point of time in life. Compassion is a mental state towards suffering which can be described as follows:

·        Recognizing that there is suffering

·        You moved emotionally due to their suffering

·        You intend to see that there is relief from that suffering

·        You are ready to extend helping hand to relieve suffering

There is no school which can teach you how to strengthen inner skills of compassion. However there are few habits which can help individual to sustain and expand the capabilities of compassion. It is time tested method to improve compassion through meditation and visualisation considering your compassion is for others. Compassion is natural and spontaneous. We need to judge who is really suffering and they need help. You can offer physical help or financial help since you are emotionally touched or moved.

You can develop and cultivate the habit of compassion by asking following questions:

·        Why do you want to be compassionate?

·        What do you want for yourself?

·        What benefits you in your life by helping others?

·        What is that you can offer to others?

You need to understand what works for you need not work for others. Therefore you need to overcome your own dilemma of compassion. Best way is to start writing your own notes. Some time it is not possible to help individually then you can ask for help from others within family, friends, society and groups. You can generate compassion in others to offer help. One should not be critical, harsh and judgemental in acknowledging sufferings of others.

Daily meditation and visualisation can be relaxing, stress relieving and blissful. In addition you can do pranayamas-breathing exercises which can bring down anxiety and worries.It is difficult to sit for meditation since your mind is not steady and not ready to follow your instructions. The solution for this is only time. Time only will help you to overcome this situation. You need to be patient and keep trying as meditation is the only time tested method to develop compassion.