Ode to Compassion
O Compassion, divine impulse that stirs the heart—
recognizing another’s aches,
What is it that you impart?
Ahh—selfless tenderness awakes!
First, sweet affinity arises
through the potency of your powers.
Then dharmic action crystallizes
and our humanity fully flowers.
Compassion—the light of the Heart.
New York, United States
I see compassion as a very profound virtue. At first glance, it may look like one of softness and ease—which I feel it is, on one level. But it is so much more. I believe it takes courage and strength to be compassionate.
Compassion toward oneself is so important—to be able to forgive oneself, to let go of the past, and to allow oneself to grow. And compassion toward others is also very important—to let others be who they are, to accept them as they are.
Compassion—what a beautiful and empowering virtue!
London, United Kingdom
On the Siddha Yoga path I have learned that the virtues are a part of me and that I need to cultivate them through constant effort and self-reflection. We have been receiving the virtues in the month of June for so many years now, but this year is very special to me.
One day I read an article about an upsetting event. I felt that the world needed compassion, and I began to make a drawing of compassion. Coincidentally, it was the virtue of that day, June 3.
From then on, I started to look at each day’s virtue and found it to be connected to my life in one way or another. I think about what the virtue means to me and how to represent it visually. I have decided to take time to study the virtues by making illustrations every single day in June. This practice really connects me to myself and is a way for me to make the effort and do the self-reflection that supports me in cultivating the virtues within myself.
Delhi, India
Today’s virtue is compassion
. What first comes to mind is: it’s thanks to Baba’s compassion that countless seekers received
shaktipat. Being a mother, I feel so much compassion for my preteen daughter that I forgive her mistakes and hug her again; this gives her the opportunity to move on toward positivity. And it is due to practicing compassion that I can keep my focus on the Siddha Yoga practices and spread good vibes at home.
Dombivli, India
The virtue of compassion is very dear to me because it was the essence of my
shaktipat experience in my first Siddha Yoga Shaktipat Intensive. I was meditating, when I felt as if an enormous ocean wave was coming toward me. I became very afraid. However, when the wave crashed over me and I was submerged, I discovered that it was a wave of pure compassion. My sense of self and the world disappeared, and nothing existed but compassion—not compassion for anyone or anything in particular, just pure compassion.
When I emerged from this meditation, my understanding of myself and the universe was forever changed.
Canberra, Australia
I feel blessed by the ways of grace. Just today, my supervisor and I were discussing empathy in my work in psychology. As I contemplated compassion, I began to realize that my empathy sometimes borders on pity. I also saw that grace has given me the tools to be truly compassionate and to connect with divinity no matter what the emotional state of the people I work with.
Mijdrecht, Netherlands
At the time my mother passed away, I shared many tender moments with others, including my stepdad to whom I had not been particularly close. We shared embraces, tears, and gentle, sweet words. I experienced an enormous presence of inner stillness, deep love between us, and Gurumayi’s divine grace and blessings. For me, this was the golden virtue of compassion in action.
New York, United States
My heart melts when I hear this word
compassion. It calls forth the compassion of Bade Baba, who laid out this this path to the heart, and Baba’s compassion in bestowing
shaktipat-diksha to everyone who came to him, and Shri Gurumayi’s compassion in transforming, for a modern time, the way that we can, no matter where we are, access the Guru’s teachings on the Siddha Yoga path website.
My heart softens with loving surrender to all of the Siddha Yoga Gurus for their compassionate grace.
Ahmedabad, India