Day 140 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening When Compassion is Your First Response

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Lesson 140: When Compassion is Your First Response...

As we learn to live with more compassion, you would start to see a change in your body. We should start to approach situations with compassion rather than pain. You might even notice that compassion is now your default response. We live with a more open heart when we practise in this way. Pain leaves us restricted and closed off.

Today we are to close our eyes and think about “any areas of contraction”. We are to expand those areas and if slip out of compassion, to breathe, focus and then try expanding the area again.

The first area of contraction that came to mind is my work place. I decided to send some healing energy that way and hope that we can all lift our morale in a really tough situation. I imagined some nice glowing light just filling the work space. I hope that we can move forward positively, that people have the skills to take the department where it needs to go and that the anger and resentment goes away.

I know this wasn’t part of the exercise, but I sent healing to my friend. He recently moved back to Melbourne after some unfortunate circumstances involving his money being dwindled in an unfair manner. I asked that he gets a job, settles back into Melbourne quite nicely and that he can move on from his bad situation. I know the focus was on self but I needed to do that for a friend.

If my work situation improves, that will help to overall mental wellbeing for myself and everyone involved. We have been screwed around for 6 months and things seem to be picking back up again. We need a boost to keep having the motivation to even come to work. I hope for positive steps forward.

How can you expand today with compassion?

Day 140 - A Year to Clear - Check In WEEK 20 - Changing the Channel

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Lesson 140: Check In WEEK 20 - Changing the Channel

This week has been to challenging to bring about more mindfulness. You really have to catch yourself in your thoughts sometimes. Anything that doesn’t serve you well, you should definitely recognise, assess why you had that thought and then ready yourself for release. I think this can be especially difficult if you’re very emotional and get stuck within that thought. For various mind clutter, I think it’s easier to do. It’s really about assessing what you need and what you don’t need.

There are always going to be situations that make you uncomfortable, and I think the lesson is trying to teach you that even though you may have a negative or upsetting thought, that’s fine, but it’s about striking those that are no benefit to you or turning the thought around to something that does serve you.

I find that I am still very much trying to teach this to myself. I find that most of my frustrating thoughts occur at work. I have to really not get caught up in my emotions and feelings, stopping myself from blowing up and just thinking of a better way to do things. I try not to lose myself but it can be quite hard. Sometimes situations and people rub you up the wrong way, so you can’t help but rage. In those moments, I’m really trying to apply myself in thinking of better outcomes and trying to make my work environment a more accommodating place for myself.

The exercise this week has really tested me to be more mindful. It takes a lot of self-awareness to think about the thoughts you have and how you can think better or differently towards your situation. It’s definitely a good skill to have if you can master it. Right now, I’m very much at hard work with it and will continue to do my best to get rid of the mental clutter that does not serve me well.