Compassion

As I'm sitting at the computer a million thoughts are going through my head...this is what happens when you don't get a chance to write for a couple of days! Too many ideas. So...I guess I'll just write two posts today. :D

Lately I've been thinking a lot about compassion. As aspiring spiritual seekers we all strive to have compassion for one another. This is exemplified by Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada had so much compassion for all of us. But how can I, as a beginner on this path of bhakti yoga, develop even 1/1000000000 of that compassion?

One of the easiest ways is to do something that HH Sacinandana Swami often emphasizes and suggests that we practice. Every morning when you get up, thank Krsna for 5 different things. See the funny thing about gratitude is that it is something one has to practice for it to remain foremost in one's consciousness. Yes, we all feel gratitude for things but if you analyze it carefully, it normally doesn't last long. But if one actually practices feeling gratitude, by thanking Krsna everyday consciously for various things he is providing us with, then one starts to feel grateful for: 1. a much longer period of time and 2. one also starts to feel gratitude for small things.

So what does this have to do with compassion? It is only when we see and experience how fortunate we actually are and how Krsna is so nicely arranging things for us, that we begin to value these gifts. Then compassion can start to develop. For example, if you are blessed to have good friends and actually recognize and appreciate that, then it's easier to feel compassion for someone new joining your school/work/temple. On the highest level, when we value Krsna consciousness as the greatest treasure in our lives, then we naturally will feel compassion to those who may be suffering because they haven't been awakened to it.

I pray that I can keep my eyes open to the numerous gifts Krsna is providing me with and be his instrument to share it with others.