Feel the power of compassion

Dr Rick Hanson

Transcript

 NOTE: This transcript may have been automatically generated using software and, as such, may not be completely accurate.

Now let’s explore the power of compassion.

To begin, with your eyes open or closed, get a sense of feeling stable and grounded here and now in your body. The growing sense of being centered.

And know what it’s like to feel determined. for the sake of someone. It could be a simple sense of support for a friend you’re helping to move from one home to another.

It could be a sense of loyalty to a friend or a family member who’s who’s struggling with a health problem, could be simply determined with a colleague at work to get something done. What’s it like to feel determined on behalf of someone?

You might notice as you feel determined, you’re sitting up a little straighter maybe,

There might be a look in your face of resolve, clarity.

You don’t need to know every detail of how you’ll solve something to be determined. Just know what it’s like to feel the strength of determination. You can also apply this sense of determination on your own behalf.

Perhaps recalling a time you were very determined about something, including maybe a really tough situation you had to deal with or get through.

Know what it’s like to be on your own side, determined for yourself, not against others, but determined for yourself in a caring and supportive and strong way.

And then on this foundation, be aware of someone you care about who’s suffering and find a a sense of compassion for them.

And notice that your compassion naturally moves you to being helpful if you can. only to bear witness with them to what they’re dealing with that might be unchangeable.

But in your compassion is a camaraderie, a support, we might say a loyalty, certainly a strength for those who are suffering. suffering?

Can you feel a mingling of both warmth and strength for those who are suffering? Compassion naturally fuels us to be helpful to others.

And with this being who is suffering, or perhaps groups of people, many people who are dealing with tough times, hard conditions, injustice often.

Can you feel in your compassion a strength on their behalf that is also moved to do whatever you can to change any underlying causes of their suffering? suffering. Compassion moves us to make a better world, not simply witness the suffering in it.

And you explore this mingling of awareness of suffering, caring and concern toward it, and a strength in feeling naturally moved to relieve their suffering and even change the things that cause it.

Can you feel the power in compassion as it moves us to relieve suffering and gradually make a better world? [silence] and even applied to yourself.

Can you find both caring and concern for your own suffering as well as a strength, a determination, a power to do what you can to ease it? and to do what you can in your own life to change what you can that is causing you suffering. Feeling the wholesome power of compassion in action. [ lights pause ]

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