This last week I received multiple signs, pointing me down a particular path. The word that kept popping up, in books, on social media, in conversations and on memes was Compassion.
When repetitive signs appear, creating a synchronicity string, I pay attention. It was apparent that I was being guided to take a deeper look at what practicing compassion meant.
The word compassion originates from the Latin word compat, which literally means “suffer with”. Compassion, then, is the ability to share in another’s suffering. I looked up the origins of the word suffer as well. It too comes from Latin. The words sub ferre translates to “from below” “to bear”. Those words create an image in my mind, of coming alongside someone, wrapping an arm around them, and giving them a shoulder “from below” to offer support. This gives a deeper meaning to compassion. It becomes the act of supporting or carrying one who is suffering.
I was thinking about the word, feeling my way more deeply into compassion, when I received another gentle nudge. I suddenly remembered that Anthony William, the man who has guided so many, including myself, into health and wellness, recently spoke about the very subject I was reflecting on. I had intended to listen to the recording before now. I was being reminded to do so. This…this is where the synchronicities were leading me to.
I made time late this afternoon, to listen to “Healing Power of Compassion”. I’m so grateful that I did. I had no preconceived ideas about what Anthony would say. I trust him completely so I simply opened my heart, popped in earbuds and settled back to receive. I laughed because near the beginning of his talk, Anthony asked “Do you have a cup of herbal tea?” He might have been talking directly to me, from a chair in my living room. Yes! Yes I had my cup of hot lemon balm tea.
For the next hour, I listened to Anthony’s conversational style of speaking as he shared from his heart and from Spirit. I scribbled four pages of notes as he spoke, smiling, laughing aloud a couple of times, tearing up more than once.
Here are some of the highlights from Healing Power of Compassion, by Anthony William:
• We all can access compassion, which is an understanding of suffering. It’s the soul of peace and joy. And it is vital for healing.
• Have compassion for yourself. God is Love…unconditional Love. Humans put conditions on love, even on self-love. When we feel compassion + love, we come the closest to creating unconditional love.
• Compassion is different from empathy, which can wax and wane, and from sympathy, which often has strings attached to it. Compassion is different from confidence. When we experience failure, we lose confidence. It can be destroyed in an instant.
And this is where the journey deepened for me…
• We cannot experience peace, or offer peace, without compassion. And we start with self-compassion.
• We lose peace and confidence when we become chronically ill. Self-love is an appreciation for and an acceptance of who we are. We can lose self-love if we cease to appreciate who we are or what’s going on in life. Self-compassion is practicing unconditional love for ourselves, no matter what is going on in our lives.
• Without compassion for ourselves, self-love can quickly change to self-loathing or self-hate, especially when our bodies appear to be betraying us by getting sick or failing in some way. Being told the body is attacking itself can create hatred for the body. This is soul damaging.
• Deeply root ourselves in self-compassion. Visualize compassion as a warm blanket, a cup of hot tea, or a bright light, reach out and take it, and pull it back to the heart and soul. Hold on to it. Practice it.
I understand what Anthony is talking about. In the same way that we can’t really love others, until we learn to love ourselves, we can’t offer compassion, and therefore hope, until we can live in compassion toward ourselves.
And, I understand the feeling that my body is betraying me by becoming ill and functioning poorly. That can indeed lead to self-loathing. I struggled with this as my left leg deteriorated. While in Scotland in 2014, I first began to express compassion to my body, and especially to my left leg. I expressed gratitude and recognized that my body was doing the best it could. I unknowingly set the stage for the healing that would take place two years later, by shifting into self-compassion. My journey into compassion continues.
I could share much more. Instead, it’s my earnest desire to encourage everyone to listen to this important, heart-felt message. Download the SoundCloud app. Subscribe to Medical Medium on it. Search for Healing Power of Compassion. It’s all free.
It’s that important! I know. I was guided to it for a reason…for my benefit…and for yours.
