Cultivating Compassion - Madeleine Haskett

“We can talk about courage and love and compassion until we sound like a greeting card store, but unless we're willing to have an honest conversation about what gets in the way of putting these into practice in our daily lives, we will never change. Never, ever.” - Brené Brown

Compassion is the emotional response of recognizing another’s suffering, paired with a desire to alleviate that pain. It moves beyond empathy into action. It involves kindness, non-judgmental understanding, and active efforts to help. – Wikipedia

“If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.” - Pema Chödrön

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive." AND "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." - HH the Dalai Lama

“Research has shown that a simple act of kindness directed toward another improves the functioning of the immune system and stimulates the production of serotonin in both the recipient of the kindness and the person extending the kindness. Kindness extended, received or observed beneficially impacts the physical health and feelings of everyone involved.” AND “Anonymously perform acts of kindness, expecting nothing in return, not even a thank-you. The universal all-creating Spirit responds to acts of kindness with the response: "How may I be kind to you?" - Wayne Dyer

“Be kind and merciful. Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier.” AND “Let us not use bombs and guns to overcome the world. Let us use love and compassion. Peace begins with a smile - smile five times a day at someone you don't really want to smile at at all - do it for peace. So let us radiate peace ... and extinguish in the world and in the hearts of all men all hatred and love for power.” - Mother Teresa

“In tonglen practice, when we see or feel suffering, we  breathe in with the notion of completely feeling it, accepting it, and owning it. Then we breathe out, radiating compassion, loving kindness, freshness - anything that encourages relaxation and openness.  So you're training in softening, rather than tightening, your heart. In this practice, it's not uncommon to find yourself blocked, because you come face to face with your own fear, resistance, or whatever your personal "stuckness" happens to be at that moment.” -

“A bodhisattva is someone who has compassion within herself or himself and who is able to make another person smile or help someone suffer less. Every one of us is capable of this.” - Thich Nhat Hanh

“God is Love: whatever the impulsion of the Universe is, it is love, beneficence; it is kindness, it is compassion; it is sweetness, truth, beauty - friendly toward us.” - Ernest Holmes, “Ideas of Power”