101 Ways to Increase Compassion and Compassionate Living.

Breathing Love. Sitting quietly, hands in lap, head atop spine, back erect,
breathe in all the love you can breathe in
breathe out all the love you can breathe out;
extend the breath to the source of All Love,
express this Love through you as far as it can extend.
Do this morning and night for 5 to 10 breaths, each with concentration and focus.
Start each day with an affirmation that sets the pattern for the day. Place yourself in heart and breath toward that ideal. Feel it taking place. Act on it as much as you are able to fulfill this aspiration. You might try offering something like "Today I am going to do all I can to have kind thoughts toward others. I will not get angry or have unkind thinking. I will do all I am able to benefit others." Create or use other affirmations as they come to you. Allow these to grow and use what comes. Strive toward these ideals in daily practice.
Hold in Heart your friend;
and then let that breath extend to others.
Breathing in love
breathing out light
let it fill the space
you perceive.
Breathing in on the sound of RACH
with arms and hands extended
as light from the sun
radiates out to all the world
on the out-breath on the sound of MON.
Receiving in kind
breathing out on the sound of RAH
hands and arms upraised
we breathe in on the sound of HEEM
and mercy which rains
upon our heart waters our soul,
for to receive is as to give;
both are needed
to complete the circle of life.
Breathing in love
breathing out light
we love all.
Sounding AAAAA in the heart
let is resound
vibrate
open
expand
in the sun
sit
and love
and let this light/love/breath
go to all.
Placing Heart and Breath toward One
include a person
you know
or do not.
Feel her need.
Placing yourself to help
feel his hope.
Consider what can be done.
Breathing Love
Toward One,
act as guided or led unfolding.
Consider your neighbor, friend, co-worker, or relative who is having a hard time. Breathe in that perspective. Feel what that person is feeling. Feel this as part of yourself. Now add love and light to this breath. Feel it cleansing, purifying, healing, and making all more right. Know that you are helping and the healing light and love of the Universe is helping most of all - doing the work through you.
If you are about to say something negative or hurtful to another, try to first stop and feel how that person would feel if you spoke.
If you think about something negative or hurtful to another, try to stop and feel how that person would feel if that person knew it - for you are actually "in person", connected in life. Try to correct the thought by feeling the power in it lessen and be replaced by a positive thought.
If you feel something negative or hurtful to another, try to stop and feel how that person would feel if that person knew it - for you are actually "in person", connected in life. Try to correct this by feeling the power in it lessen and be replaced by the positive.
If you actually do say something negative or hurtful to another, be aware of what that person does or says. Try to sense or feel how he or she feels. Apologize if needed and appropriate.
Sitting quietly, later, feel that situation (above). Instead of anger or negativeness try to feel love and light toward that person: clearing, healing, and helping restore and convey Love. Breathe this for a while until you know it is time to stop.
When reading the paper or hearing on the radio or TV of something that hurts someone, connect in love. Breathe love and light to that person.
If someone says or repeats something negative or hurtful to you, try to take a few quiet breaths before answering. Try to sense the other's perspective and why he or she would say that thing. Let love flow to both of you.
If you hear a negative or hurtful thing said about another, try to feel love, blessings, light, and healing toward that person. Inquire of the speaker, if you are able, why he or she said that thing and then ask if they feel if it really is true. Let healing love and light permeate the conversation through you and you breath at the same time and following it.
Picture in your "mind's eye" a person or group having a difficult time. Feel their situation getting better. Connect through breath and feel blessings of the universe flow to them - encircling, pervading, filling the situation and helping make it better.
Sit and feel other beings as part of yourself, and then you a part of them. As you feel better, they feel better. As they feel better, you feel better.
Put in mind anyone you know - especially a person you love - who has experienced pain or loss or suffering. Feel it as this person has or now is. Feel the hurt. Examine/sense this suffering in detail. Feel it as it happens to you. And in all through this depth, when you know it, let light and love, the caring love of the Universe, enter and lift both you and this person in light. You feel both of you - yourself and this other person - lifted and healed together, as one being.
Now repeat the practice above with another whom you do not know. Then feel it as a group of persons also as yourself. Extend this to more people, but do not let yourself be overwhelmed with pain and suffering. Stay within your limits to experience, and then, turning toward the One, that Universe of Harmony, Love, and Light, let it lift and cleanse both or all of you together, lightening this load, as one.
Consider the things that you and others - all people - have in common rather than things which divide you. Feel how all people want similar things: happiness, joy, peace, not hurting or suffering.
When you meet a person or hear about a situation acting, consider/feel how they also are seeking happiness and learning - progressing in life. Help them with good thoughts and feelings to make that next step.
Consider/feel how a mother wishes to protect her child; how she seeks only the very best and highest goals and aspirations for that person. Rest in that. Feel it grow. Let it encompass others. Extend this feeling and attitude toward another, and then more people, until it includes every one.
Feel the Earth and all things within it as part of yourself, as life part of your own body - giving birth to it as a child of your own. Feel the love and compassion extend to all things as well as people; for your Earth is part of you.
If you see or feel yourself making value judgements about another, try to stop and perceive from their perspective. Do this by breathing in them to you and you to them. Then understand why they act as they do.
Feel how the rain falls and the sun shines on the just and unjust alike. Feel your breath and heart also go to all.
Reflect a little about how you feel if you are sad, or hurt, or wanting. Wouldn't it be nice if someone could help you overcome those feelings and help you through that situation? Would you feel fetter through that kindness? Of course you would.
Now consider, feel, reflect upon one who is in need, hurting, or wanting. Would you not also want that person to feel better, be out of their condition of hurt, be on the road to recovery, health, happiness, peace? See how that feels. Now practice not only letting that feeling grow within yourself, but also feel the desire of helping turn to support intention, and place yourself toward the person or people in need. Let the intention of help and actual feeling of support flow to this person or people. Feel it helping. Feel it grow within yourself each time you consider another's need or hear of a difficulty or harm, or problem in this world. Let this feeling of giving, support, loving, through breath and heart, grow.
Now let action grow the former feeling and activity. In other words, let heart open the way to outward doing. Place yourself in the position that you may feel to also do something physically in this world to help another grow, or be safe, or healthy, or have food. Place your activity to also include another. Be led as you feel. First open the door to do - to feel this activity as part of yourself - helping lift yourself also. Then listen to your heart and feeling as the guidance of what to do.
If someone mistreats you, try not to strike back. Return their action with understanding. How? Pause and sense/feel how that person feels. Place yourself in their shoes and try to understand their perspective. Feel that if you were mistreating that person, or another, how you might react. Do this all if you are to do so at the time of the injury or mistreatment. But if you are not able to do so, then remove yourself from the situation and reflect about this later until you can finally respond in person with some kindness and not opposition. It may take time and small steps to begin.
If you meet or are involved in conversation or contact with some whose ideas are not compatible with you, don't try necessarily to oppose that person or refute the ideas. Remember the person is part of you and also part of the entire human family. Thank them for their ideas and hold the ideal of what they are, who they are, in your feeling and heart.
Feel any experience or time in which you felt kindness, consideration, love, or caring for another person or animal. Let this grow in your breath and feeling. Express this; that is, let it flow outward on the out breath. Feel compassion on the in-breath. Express on the out-breath.
When you are with a person or in a situation which calls for compassion, connect in breath, heart, and intention to what you have felt before, in another situation. Allow it to enter.
Feel how your felt when you observed injustice, or anger, or pain to another; how you hoped that person would not suffer or be hurt. Let this feeling go the the person or situation you are in.
When you meet another person, consider that he or she is an expression of the Infinite, a face of the Divine. Feel this. Greet your Ideal, Beloved.
When you think of another person or situation, or group of people, consider that person, group of people, or situation is also an expression of the Infinite, a face of the Divine. Feel this. Greet your Ideal, Beloved.
Consider how it would feel to be marooned alone on an island for a long time and how you would feel toward another person who you encountered. Apply this to all people on the island, Earth.
Pause for a moment or two. Look at something - anything. Consider, feel, see it as part of you and you as part of it. Feel/see another person like this.
Practice: [Breathing in] As the tree gives shade to all, [Breathing out] may my heart give shelter to those in need.
Practice: [Breathing in] As the melting snows provide much need water, [Breathing out] let the softening of my heart provide peace and love to all.
Practice: [Breathing in] As the pure snow covers all with a blanket of white, [Breathing out] may my actions, thoughts and inspiration be of help to all.
Practice: [Breathing in] I place myself in light, as the sun shines, [Breathing out] may I extend this light to the world and all who dwell within.
While waking, in the morning, accept that today I will do one kind thing I usually do not do.
During the day look for ways to help others. Feel their needs and how you can fit some "helping" in your day.
Make a time to feel and see any pain or suffering of another - or many others. Breathing in love, extend it, let it flow to any who need it.
Breathing in love, breathing out joy, feel it radiate to all the world, as far as you can.
Sitting quietly feel the infinite compassion that exists. Let it come to you and fill you on the in-breath and flow out, as far as you can feel it, on the out-breath.
Attune to one of the Great Teachers or Prophets by focusing on his or her name or picture. Feel the compassion of this personality. Become of this also by breathing in this personality and experience his or her feeling. Let this compassion express through you.
Learn the walk of Buddha or Jesus or Mohammed, or another Teacher/Prophet. Feel the compassion that comes through this being extend through you.
Practice: Sitting quietly, feeling love, resting in Divine Breath, Peace, Joy, and Love, wordlessly say and feel "May I be free". Rest with this, then wordlessly feel/say "May you be free", and rest with this. Finally wordlessly feel/say "May we be free", and feel this Love/Joy/Peace/Breath be present in all.
Sitting quietly, breathing in love and breathing out light, feel yourself. Become aware of any area of which you have pain and suffering. Feel it come to the surface. On the in-breath it rises into view. On the out-breath love and light, carried through the breath, dissipates, cleanses, clears, brightens, and lifts it away.
Repeat this until there is no pain, suffering, clinging present. Do this once a week until all is clear and healed.
Breathing in light/love, breathing out love/light feel the presence of all those enlightened beings now existing: your Beloved, your Ideal, those Great Prophets and teachers and servants and helpers - all. Feel them helping you; asking for their assistance, to open your heart and be of aid to others. Feel this grow: this breath/light/joy/healing/love through them, to you, through you, to all others.
Become a center of light/love/joy/breath. Radiate compassion everywhere you walk or go. Feel it change and uplift the atmosphere.
Practice: Sitting in breath/light/love, feel/say silently "May I relieve the suffering of all beings". Send this expressing through to all - the true light, love, and breath of the Universe, healing and lifting all.
Practice: Repeat the practice above with the phrase "May I extend my happiness, the joy of Truth, the Real, to all beings, through me".
Hearing in person words of suffering, utter words of compassion.
Listen to others. Listen in your heart. Feel what they are saying what they yearn for. Utter the words of compassion to them through your heart.
Walking to a store from your car, pause and feel your heart go to all those without money, cars, or stores. Feel others through the world.
Sitting in traffic or at a stop light, feel ease and caring go to all you see there too.
Hearing or seeing of places or people who have little faith or Ideal, replacing these with ideas; breathe compassion and love.
Hearing or seeing of places or people acclaim a bully as hero or a conqueror as good; breathe compassion and love.
Hearing or seeing of places or people who do not have dreams; breathe compassion and love.
Hearing or seeing of places or people who repress others; breathe compassion and love.
Like the bud which opens into a flower, may my heart bloom with love and peace.
As the sun brings light to all, may I be a sun to others.
First, concentrate or meditate upon the symbol of the sun. Then standing with arms raised and hands facing out, turn to the right and radiate. Focus the breath in the right nostril.
As the light of the star brightens the night, may the Divine Spirit shine through my heart.
First, concentrate or meditate upon the symbol of the 5-pointed star. Standing with arms raised and arms and feet apart equally, breathing in the heart, refine the breath and radiate.
As the Divine Love envelops and sustains all, may my heart become a beacon, transform, and include all I see and feel.
Concentrate or meditate upon the symbol of the heart. Then breath all you can into you heart and transform this through love.
As the dove descends, amy I become a conduit of the spirit.
Continue the practice above and then refine your breath in love. Breathe in and out Love.
As the moon reflects the Great Sun, may I reflect the Divine Compassion.
Concentrate or meditate upon the moon. Then. standing with arms extended in front and hands upturned, turn left. Focus the breath in the left nostril.
Consider the benefits of compassion to yourself and all sentient life. Breathe Love.
Consider the qualities of radiant compassion. Breathe Love.
Consider those things that hold you, grab you, and to which you are attached, desire, or crave. Feel their release. Let go the bonds. Lessen their hold upon you.
When the mind wanders, bring it to the moment of love and joy.
After experiencing radiant compassion, pay attention to your breath and condition. Repeat these in other situations.
Be aware of your attitudes and heart, and feelings when you sense compassion and love. Become aware of your breath in this state. Reproduce it at will.
Feel for the signs or conditions that indicate when it is appropriate to act and when it is not.
Be aware of your own responsibility.
Sitting quietly, feel the suffering of another. Feel this dissipate in Love.
Embrace patience.
Forgive another by breathing love.
Forgive yourself as well.
Show gratitude.
Smile to the world. Others will smile to you.
Bring silence and stillness to motion.
Learn to quiet your thinking. Concentrate, focus on love. A picture of a heart or light may help.
Feel connected and together with "others" - All Beings - as much as you are able.
Feel the support that so many people give through their day to others: doctors, nurses, teachers, welfare workers, mothers, fathers. Feel that come to you, and your support to as many others as you are able.
When you are prone to negatively criticize; pause, and place this toward the affirmative, the positive. Stop negativity.
Establish an overall goal in your life to grow into a compassionist. Be and help others also.
If you are afraid, bring light and love. It will vanish fear.
Feel each person, thing, and situation as being unique and of value.
Learn to live in unknowing. Do not try to, or have to, figure everything out.
As the spring brings life giving water to all, may my roots of compassion be connected to the infinite well of love.
May all beings be well. May all beings be happy. Peace. Peace. Peace.
Toward the end of each day evaluate how you did in compassionate living. If you see or feel areas that need improving, dwell upon the ideal of that improvement, not the negative aspect. Place yourself toward that ideal as you can: in breath, heart, and acceptance of that growing.
End the day with the ideal of service and love. Affirm your helping; doing all you can that is appropriate. Feel that love and service growing. Breathe love. Become it as much as possible. Let it radiate and express as you.

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