Compassion is easy in theory, but the moment someone cuts us off in traffic or says something sharp, the feeling can vanish like mist. Why is it so difficult to remain open-hearted when the world pinches or provokes us? The Buddhist Review, Tricycle, dives into the knotty roots of compassion’s challenges—and what it means to keep returning to this practice, again and again.
Yoga, like Buddhism, recognizes that non-harming—ahimsa—isn’t always simple or automatic. It’s a discipline, a choice we meet anew each day, sometimes each breath. Compassion calls us to witness not only others’ suffering, but our own reactivity, judgment, and deeply grooved habits.
🪷 When Compassion Meets Our Edges
Why do we recoil from compassion, especially toward people we find difficult? Often it’s old pain or grief—unexamined and unresolved—that tightens our hearts. Grief & Yoga teaches us that turning toward our own pain with gentleness is the first step to turning toward others with the same care.
🧠 The Tangle of Habits and Samskaras
So much of our response is shaped by samskaras—those grooves of habit, mental patterns, and reflexes that feel almost automatic. Recognizing these isn’t failure; it’s the invitation to pause, breathe, and choose differently, even if just for a moment.
🕊️ Practicing Metta (Loving-Kindness) Anyway
Compassion is a practice, not a personality trait. Metta meditation offers a tangible way to soften the edges, beginning with ourselves. Even if it feels awkward, forced, or incomplete, the effort itself is transformative.
What does all this mean when we step onto our mats or into the world? Compassion isn’t a finished product; it’s a living experiment. Every return is another chance to meet ourselves and others with less judgment and more grace.
— MJH
Community Discussion
or explore The Shala Daily