Reverb11 Day 30 Karuna (Compassion)

Here at Yoga Freedom, our motto is “compassion + action.” What compassionate actions do you aspire to in the coming twelve months?

Whenever you start exploring spirituality, whatever path you choose, compassion always appears as a central tenet.  The yogic path is no exception, speaking of compassion regularly.  I have been thinking a lot about it lately; having compassion for myself and others.  I have found that when I struggle with my life instead of accepting what is, I become quick to judge and harbor resentment; first for others and then I start feeling bad about that and turn that judgement inward.  Whether it is snapping at an incompetent waitress or shutting down at work or purposely ignoring someone who is trying to reach out to me, it becomes a vicious cycle.  One that serves to separate me from the world around me rather than connect me to it.  And that is an integral component of compassion.  It connects you to those around you by not only recognizing their experience but spurring action.  You see when you have compassion, it is not enough to simply to understand or sympathize with someone else's suffering but to foster a desire to alleviate it.  
My desire is to have compassion be a focus of my life in 2012.  And as with everything, I will start with myself and try to have compassion when I encounter my perceived shortcomings.  If I can give myself a break when I make an error or hurt someone else, then I will be better able to extend that same break to someone else.  The biggest hurdle is to have compassion for someone who is causing you pain or has hurt you in the past.  I recently learned about "non-violent communication".  The guy who invented it Marshall B. Rosenberg, is kind of amazing.  Listening to him speak was a life changer.  He has gone into war-torn countries, fortune 500 companies and tribal communities and diffused situations by just using loving compassionate words.  He said something that struck me.  
"All perceived insults and criticisms are just a tragic expression of an unmet need."  Isn't that beautiful?  When you truly sit with it and have that has a core belief, you can start to see all negativity as cries for help and from that place, compassion can arise.  I'm certainly no expert.  Not even close.  But maybe in 2012 I will only ever try to hear "please" when negative people or situations enter my world and try to respond with "how can I help".