Instilling Compassion in Our Hearts

Father John Grace was the Catholic Campus Ministry priest at James Madison University who inspired and opened my heart to the Catholic faith. It was my friend, Tom, who first invited me to weekly Masses and semi-formals, eventually sponsoring me in my RCIA. It was Father John who welcomed me into the Catholic Church and graced Tom and me with the sacrament of marriage.

One of the benefits of the Covid pandemic is the establishment and accessibility of online Masses. We can participate in virtual Masses anywhere in the world. We can hear Father John at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Hampton-Sydney, Virginia all the way from Florida. What a blessing!

Last year during one of his homilies, Father John talked about instilling compassion in our hearts. He said, “Whatever the heart possesses, the body expresses.”

Isn't that what yoga does? It teaches us awareness of our physical responses, quieting the mind, and intentions for the self and beyond. Yoga is the epitome of self-compassion. True understanding of compassion doesn't make judgements or comparisons. It begins with a journey that invites gentle loving-kindness in our thoughts, words, and actions for ourselves and others.

Maitrī is the Sanskrit word for loving-kindness. It leads to Karuna, the Sanskrit word for compassion. How do we embark on that journey? One way is to experience yoga which teaches awareness, acceptance, love, and compassion. To fully embrace compassion, we must begin with self-Maitrī. For we cannot truly love others without first accepting and loving ourselves. We must cultivate self-value and self-worth to have the capability, capacity, and understanding to love others. Through self-Maitrī, we open our hearts to self-Karuna.

When we acknowledge the challenges we experience in life, we begin the journey of self-Karuna. We accept that our humanity includes both Yin and Yang—light and dark, eases and challenges. Understanding that no one goes through life without difficulties helps us be less judgmental and gives us strength to face our challenges. As a result, we become stronger and more empathetic. We must give ourselves the gift of understanding, forgiveness, and self-care to be capable of offering compassion to the world.

Once we have cultivated Maitrī and Karuna for ourselves, we begin that journey of gentle loving-kindness and compassion for others. What a gift to offer compassion to others! Every individual needs compassion. Our societies face opposition, oppression, prejudices, broken relationships, and complexities throughout life. So, how do we move beyond ourselves? It is easiest to turn our attention towards those we know, sending prayers and wishes to ease their challenges and promote well-being.

Once we develop that level of compassion for those we know, we shift to those we don’t know- the neutral person: humankind. It is the compassion for unknown individuals that opens our minds and hearts to the greater world. We learn to look beyond ourselves.

More challenging and on a deeper level is the ability to cultivate compassion for those we have difficulty with. That is the true nature of compassion— empathy for others, even when we do not welcome and embrace those individuals with open arms.

To truly experience Maitrī and Karuna to its fullness, we must adopt and embrace every aspect for ourselves, those we know, those we don’t know, and those we have difficulties with. It is then that we understand the complete nature of gentle loving-kindness and compassion for all beings everywhere.

At that moment, we truly understand the meaning of yoga. Through our practices and meditations, we become stewards of loving-kindness and compassion. By making it a lifestyle choice, we promote the ultimate teaching of yoga— unity. To unite, we move beyond ourselves into positive, loving interactions with others.

When the heart possesses Maitrī and Karuna, the mind, body, and soul express them to the world. Through those connections, we are truly united.

Experience mindful, gentle practices that promote loving-kindness and compassion during our 7-Day “Spring into Yin” Yoga Challenge. Email me at wixtedlf@hotmail.com for access to this challenge.