Mother Teresa once said, “There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.”
The one thing that we cannot get enough of, the one thing that there is no possibility of ever overusing, of ever over-receiving, or of ever over-giving, is Compassion or Love. As the saying goes; “No matter the question, Love is the answer.”
So, how can we learn how to fill up every day and be “filled to overflowing?”
Whenever you find yourself caught up in negative thought patterns, or negative emotional states, being self–critical or critical of another, or enmeshed in negative imaginings or worry; sit back and drink in Compassion. As you drink in that Compassion all the tension and negativity will start to release. And then you will remember and accept that your natural state of being is that of feeling and being in the Embrace, of being at Peace, of being in Love!
It’s quite easy to do, actually, especially if you choose to practice it regularly. So, here’s a meditative exercise that you can do daily.
Find a quiet place and moment, close your eyes, take a few deep, slow, cleansing breaths, and then just imagine someone you love, be they a loved one or an esteemed spiritual teacher/master, and see/imagine them right there in front of you. Look into their eyes, the mirror of the soul, and then feel their love flowing to you. Open up your heart to feeling their care, compassion and unconditional love for you. Send that same care, compassion and unconditional love back to them. Then send these feelings to others and to the whole world. Hold these images and feelings for a couple of minutes and in these a few minutes you will truly feel filled up and renewed.
I know this may sound simplistic, but it is a very profound exercise. If you take the time to reflect on your predominant thoughts and feelings, you will see that you practice anger, fear, worry, most of the time. Why not practice Compassion instead?
Compassion connects us with who we really are and what is truly at our core. I would urge you to give yourself at least one dose of this daily, even for just a few minutes. You deserve it. Please try it. You will be transformed. You will definitely be very grateful you did.
As the Dalai Lama wrote:
“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”
“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
“Only the development of compassion and understanding for others can bring us the tranquility and happiness we all seek.”
