Compassion: Why It's Important

What is compassion?  Webster's dictionary defines compassion as:  'Sympathetic consciousness of other's distress together with a desire to alleviate it'.  Why is it important?  Well the Dalai Lama says that having and exercising compassion is a direct link to your own personal happiness; and well, I think he's right.

Photo taken from a Facebook post by FinerMinds

So how does this happen?  Well to be honest I'm not really sure.  But I do know that when I let people aggravate me, I loose my centre.  I'm disgruntled, and a little less happy than I was before.  But if I change my mindset, and think not about my aggravation, but about the circumstances that may have led the other person to behave in a certain manner, then I can overcome my aggravation by beginning to feel a real desire to want the other person to be happy as well.  And guess what - I feel better - happier.

Apparently there is also some scientific evidence about how the brain responds positively when we exercise compassion and generates more positive emotions.  This I can't explain, but again, I believe it to be true.

So being compassionate, and practicing compassion has two positive effects:  I feel happier as a result of it, and others around me will be happier as well, because I have a genuine interest in helping others.