Compassion & Self Love

"It is lack of love for ourselves that inhibits our compassion towards others. If we make friends with ourselves, then there is no obstacle to opening our hearths and minds to others"
-Unknown

Sometimes its easy to confuse self-love with conceit. We feel that by saying, "I love me for who I truly am" we are conveying to others we somehow feel superior to them.

First we must understand that when we rely solely on others opinions of our lives, we become slaves to that society. By refusing to trust ourselves or to love ourselves we lose who we really are and morph into a hodge podge of others personalities and beliefs

Through all of our personal strengths and weaknesses we become our own perfect and special being. There is no single perfect person in this world, it is the specific parts of us that allow us to be special.

Second, once we accept ourselves, and love ourselves for the person we are we can than turn our compassion to those around us. We can spread our compassion throughout the world one person at a time.

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
- Dalai Lama

Meditation

If you don't all ready have a regular place to practice meditation, find a quiet spot in your house, and if your home is much like mine - let your family know that you will be meditating for the next half hour to hour.

(*Note: If this is your first time meditating, begin with a five minute session, and then each day add one minute to your practice until you reach the amount of time you would like to meditate.)

Begin by finding a comfortable seat, you will be in this position for a longer period of time, so be sure the position you choose is one that won't be cutting the circulation off to your legs in (and if your legs do fall asleep - don't worry - finish the meditation and you'll be just fine. Promise.)

Place your hands on your knees with your palms facing upwards - open to receive as well as give the compassion we all so desire. Then draw your attention to your breathing. Counting from one to ten. Each number for one full inhalation and exhalation. Letting each breath to carry away your thoughts and worries.  Allowing your mind to clear until it is quiet.

Once you feel you're ready begin, with each breath, stating thinking or chanting aloud - "I am compassion. I am self-love."

You are compassion, you are self-love and you are a special being just like all others around you.

Humble Warrior

Begin by making your way into Warrior One, lower your hands behind your back clasping the fingers together. Roll your shoulders onto your back as you straighten your arms and then - exhale - folding forward bowing humbly to the world around you and bringing yourself closer together.

To bow down and come inside yourself, or to bow down to those who are around is we can find a new path in life. A path filled with truth and honesty. A path that allows our true and special self to shine through into this world.

Compassion is not a flaw, just as being human is not a flaw - it is a gift. Life is a gift, and one we only have for a short time. So chose to spend that time in a way that will help those around your, and at the same time help yourself.

I bring my hands together at my heart and say to you namaste. The spirit and the light that is in you, which is also in me.

"At the end of the day, love and compassion will win. "
-Terry Waite

Patience

When you decided to add a mantra to your meditation practice it's easy to begin a quest trying to seek out the mantra that is right for you. By surfing the internet, reading books like "Mantras: Words of Power" by Swami Sivananda Radha, then you may feel overwhelmed by the amount of mantras out there for the taking.

Should it be in Sanskrit?

Should it be Buddhist?

Should it refer to the doctrine I was raised under?

This task can become daunting and that pressure may lead you to just give up all together. So simplicity is key. Just like all things in the Universe, when we are meant to have something - it will come to us. The Buddha stated that "Money is like water, try to grab it and it flows away, open your hands and it will move towards you." This is true with everything in life, not just money. The riches of love, happiness, companionship - patience is the key.

When you are seeking out your mantra and you are met with the myriad of questions from "Who is Lakshmi?" to what the intent is, is it the same as yours?

Just wait.

I find that when I feel it's time to find a new mantra, after looking and reading and researching - somewhere in the middle of my day I'll find it rolling around in my head, my own voice chanting the words.

In Catholic Doctrine they list 52 attributes known as virtues that range from Assertiveness to Unity, but while all of them server an important purpose in life - patience should always float to the top.

If we pause

If we breathe

If we wait

What we need will come to us, no, maybe not in the form we though it would - but it will be there, I can tell you that much.

Shuni Mudra "The Seal of Patience"

Formed by placing the thumb against the tip of the middle finger, the Shuni Mudra is said to prompt patience.

Shuni is translated to "Saturn" just as the middle finger is representation of the same planet, and Saturn is known as the Task Master. In charge of the Law of Karma, taking hold of responsibility, courage, duty. Saturn helps you to be disciplined. This mudra holds the ability to give you stability and strength.

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana "One Legged King Pigeon Pose"

This pose stretched out the thighs, groin, psoas, abdominal, chest, shoulders and neck. The first in a series of pigeon poses, beginning on the right with your shin parallel with the top of your mat and your left leg stretched out behind you - making sure your left foot is lying straight and not leaning to the right or left side. Breathing in and elongating the side bodies then folding over the front leg. Holding this pose on each side for a minute each.

Breathing into your groin and the psoas and letting go.

"We find that patience is the best means we have of defending ourselves internally from anger's destructive effects"

~ The Dalai Lama

May you have a beautiful week

~Namaste~