Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Grounding into compassion

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Let’s start with what compassion is and why it is important? To me, compassion is being able to approach someone with kindness and openness because you are aware that everyone has their own struggles and is inherently good. It’s important because compassion is the pathway to a more peaceful and present life. Learning to ground into compassion means choosing it every time you have a choice to do so. When you ground into compassion you let your actions and thoughts be guided by it.


So often we get into our heads and start telling ourselves stories based on our past or our perception of what the future will be. The problem with these stories is that the more we focus on them the less present we are. We start basing our reality on what life was or will be instead of actuality. In this scenario, we tend to leave our bodies because we become so involved with stories in our minds. Your body can be your anchor to the present moment. When you come back to your body and your breath it’s easier to ground into compassion. It’s easier to anchor and feel compassion more through yourself. You are able to feel the emotions because you are grounded in the present moment.


Think about a time in your life when you had a not-so-great interaction with someone. What happened after? Our usual response is to often resort to focusing on the unpleasantries. Our minds start judging and focusing on the bad behaviour and the stories start forming in our heads.


What if we paused instead. What if we didn’t judge the other person. When you focus on the negative and let the stories start building you close your mind and your body off. You are so focused on how they are treated that you aren’t able to see them in their humanness. You get so caught up in your head that you are no longer open to letting reality flow.


Imagine that same person passes by you for a second except this time they are kind and loving. If you are caught up with stories in your head that are focusing on previous negative interactions, then you won’t be open to this second interaction cause you are no longer grounded in the present.


The more we ground into compassion, the more we ground into the present. You are able to meet people with love and kindness because you are aware of the fact that everyone is struggling in their own ways and their own rights. This does not mean we excuse bad behaviour. We simply are choosing to be compassionate to the present reality instead of focusing on the past or the future. We are open to receiving and being.


If you are looking to infuse more compassion into your life and relationship try any of these 3 exercises. The focus is to help you come back into your body and use your body to anchor into compassion.


1. Move your body in a way that feels intuitive. Don’t judge yourself and don’t focus on what other people might or might not think.


2. Focus on your breath. As you inhale notice that you are filling your body with what it needs at the moment. You are nurturing yourself.


3. As you exhale send some love and compassion to someone in need. Visualise them in your mind. As you exhale you are sending them what they need in the moment.


These exercises will help you meet the present moment for what it is. Nurture the present moment and be nurtured by it. This is how we create more peace in our lives and in the world.


[Vanessa Seymour is a breakthrough Mindset and Embodiment Coach who works with entrepreneurs and visionaries on making their dreams their reality through personal development and business. Contact details: vanessaseymour.com, email@vanessaseymour.com; Instagram: @vanessa.seymour]


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