Season of Nonviolence - Day 46

Welcome to Day 46 of the Season of Nonviolence – 64 Days of peaceful wisdom honoring the lives and nonviolent principles of Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cesar Chavez.

Nonviolence begins with learning how to be less violent and more compassionate towards ourselves. We learn by building the courage to speak and act with respect, honor and reverence for our own being.

Eleanor Roosevelt has urged, "You must do the things that you think you cannot do." Practicing these 64 Ways will challenge you to do things that you think you cannot do.

Day 46: COMPASSION

Mother Teresa implored us to “find someone who thinks he is alone and let him know that he is not.” 
 
"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."  ~ The 14th Dalai Lama

 

A human being is part of the whole, called by us "universe," a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.  ~ Albert Einstein

Compassion is about both relieving suffering and about celebration (which also relieves suffering by putting it in a context of gratitude).  With compassion comes a greatness of heart. Compassion arises when we allow our heart to be touched by the pain and needs of others.

Today:  I will engage compassion to lead my actions, my words and my life.