Why Do Spiritual Traditions Emphasize Compassion?
The practical wisdom of old times
Why is a heart-centered approach more advised from spiritual teachings?
Spirituality teaches us to care — to show compassion.
While many spiritual teachings may seem convoluted today, some — like this one — stand the test of time. In today’s piece, I want to explore this topic based on my own personal experiences with it.
As you know, life isn’t an easy ride.
We all experience challenges. And we deal with them to the best of our abilities when they occur. For most of us, we store lower emotions as a result of experiencing those challenges (sadness, anger, envy, etc.).
Out of this, we naturally become more preoccupied with ourselves, which is normal since we’re in pain. You can’t laugh all the time, at least sincerely, when deep inside your “demons” keep pulling you down.
Because our suffering is distracting — and combined with life’s responsibilities — we become oblivious to the suffering of others. So much so that our pain becomes central to our attention.
When this occurs, reality feels distorted. We make mountains out of molehills because it’s only the “deranged” us we can perceive, and blame all the time. Insecurities develop. We get trapped in our heads.
And while we may conclude something is only wrong with us — the truth is that most of us experience a heartbreak as an example.
It hasn’t just happened to you or me — it’s part of being human. We all experience it
You know how it feels right? When you can relate to someone because their experience matches yours. It’s comforting. At last someone gets you.
In my opinion, if we could integrate the fact that many have experienced what we experience, regardless of its intensity, and survived — it’d be very healing.
And how do I integrate this, you might ask? I’m glad you did. The answer’s right below:
Spirituality teaches us to care — to be compassionate. When we do, we heal and others heal as well. Another practical truth that stands the test of time, which we may explore in the future, is our oneness.
We’re not taught these principles to turn into prophets or angels; we’re taught to care because when we open ourselves to the human experience with its many intricacies — we feel less alone, we feel others’ pain, and that reminds us we all go through a similar adventure.
It reminds us that there’s no shame for having been through what we’ve been — others experience it as well. It’s life. And experience is life’s best teacher.
Your experiences are packed with riches.
Your story, your path up to now, and beyond. There’s nothing to be embarrassed of. Nothing to run from. We’ve all looked like fools at some point. It’s being human, and it’s humbling.
Whenever you struggle with this, remember that God gave you a brain and a heart, and they’re meant to work together.
When you catch yourself thinking too much, take a moment to breathe and settle into your surroundings. And when you feel too much, take a break to switch to being practical.
It’s this way for everyone.
I hope you enjoyed this read. I loved how it showed me as much as it showed you (I hope!) that our respected spiritual traditions had deep practical wisdom to share with us, even though their wordings aren’t always digestible for modern-day people.
If you’d like to share your thoughts, feel free to comment below.
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Best.
