Â鶹Éç

Available for over a year

Good morning. A recent study in Queensland looking at the development of compassion, found that children as young as four have developed the desire to look after others, but it’s limited by their sense of whether there’s a cost to themselves. We all do this, when we judge how generous we feel we can be. Some people find it hard to get that balance right. As a psychiatrist I meet countless patients and colleagues who struggle to care for themselves whilst caring for others. Their personal experiences have left them unable to keep a grip on their own needs. We need to develop self-care or we’ll end up unable to help others. As a priest, I meet many who also find this balance difficult, but who aspire to reach the point where they no longer need to worry about looking after themselves. They don’t want their compassion to be limited by thinking ‘I can only give what I’ve got’. They want to be nourished by a spiritual love so strong that they have endless internal resources in the service of others. I’ve also been fortunate enough to meet and learn from advanced spiritual practitioners who’ve experienced this level of deep compassion. I’ve seen that they end up getting back more than they give. The Bhagavat Purana, the Vedic compendium on the science of the soul and our relationship with God, speaks about compassion ultimately being a spiritual quality, born of the soul, something that grows as we grow spiritually by strengthening our relationship with God. The 15th century saint Vasudeva Datta developed such a deep, loving relationship with Lord Krishna, that when he saw others suffering, he wouldn’t just pray for the person, but would wish to take their place. Not only were people relieved of suffering, but it seemed to come at no cost to him. In fact his love for God and others only got stronger as a result. Many of us know this feeling – that in a loving relationship, we can actually want to take on the pain of the other person. Vasudeva Datta’s example shows us that spiritual growth brings not only a deepening of love for ourselves and God, but also a deeper compassion for others. I think that understanding compassion as a spiritual quality, and not just about giving up something to benefit others, can be a powerful way for us to grow and heal, while serving others better and at less cost to ourselves.