“Constant anger is very bad for our health,” His Holiness said. “I try to keep compassion” constantly in mind and then stay “surrounded by (other) compassionate people” that can reduce your anger.
From an article by Jen Christensen, CNN reporter
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/18/health/dalai-lama-guide-to-surviving-trump/index.html
So here we are. No matter which side of the political spectrum you plant yourself, this advice from the Dalai Lama is most useful…and I would say, necessary. There is nothing to be gained in anger but more of the same…and much to be accomplished with compassion.
To practice compassion is simply to practice seeing and recognizing the pain in others…to relate to it…to acknowledge it…to feel it with your heart. It is easy to practice compassion with those we love dearly, with our friends and with those who think the way that we do. It is another thing to practice compassion with our enemies, those who challenge our way of thinking, who disagree with us, who we label and judge, who we allow to make our blood pressure rise.
The practice of compassion takes the emotional edge off of our human interactions and brings us to a place within our mind where we might notice our common humanity…our struggle to be heard, our need to make a difference, our hope for a better future, our fears, doubts and frustrations. And in the end, our simple and powerful human desire to live with dignity, to feel loved and to see greater possibilities in our life.
Practicing compassion toward others begins with practicing compassion towards your own self. Be still for a moment and send kind thoughts to your body. Be still for a moment and feel grateful for this very life that you are living. Be still for a moment and smile…feel just a bit of joy. You might feel your heart soften, your face release some tension and you might take a long breath.
Now you are ready to see, acknowledge and relate compassionately to others. Now it might seem possible to follow the teaching of Jesus from Matthew 5:43-47…
“You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?…And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others?”
A mighty call…are you up for it?
Much love to you
Paula
2 Responses
…not to mention anger is such a waste of the short time we have in this lifetime. Everybody seems to want more love and yet we waste so much time being angry, and often at something we cannot change or of such small significance it really doesn’t matter.
Paula thank you for sharing with us. In this time where people seem divided, this is a good reminder to first look within to foster the compassion, and peace that it brings, to ourselves and in the world.