February is a month where we celebrate LOVE....In the Yoga Tradition we practice Ahimsa- (referred to as non-harming) where we begin to cultivate love and respect for all beings by developing compassion. 

We gently create space for another’s experience. What would it be like to be them? How would it feel to have lived through the experiences of their life, to see things through their lens? Once we can deeply appreciate another’s experience, we begin to feel a connection.  The walls of separation between ourselves and others begin to fade and our hearts open. 

In this time of great suffering for the people of Haiti, our hearts naturally pour out to those victims of this tragedy. We hear the stories of those touched by this disaster and our hearts ache. We want to help, and we feel deep heartfelt compassion. In these times we can see clearly that we as humans have a great capacity for compassion and caring.

How do we find this same compassion when someone cuts us off in traffic, or our children or friends disappoint us. When others are insulting or uncaring. When someone does something to hurt us.

Compassion may not arise quite so naturally when we are feeling attacked or hurt. This is when we are called on to remember our light and the light of others. It takes remembering and practice.

A PRACTICE OF COMPASSION
Sit quietly and breathe as if your heart is breathing in and breathe out as if your heart is breathing out.

1) Begin to call the image of someone you love into your heart.
2) Recognizing what it must be like to be that person, and to have experienced all they have experienced in this life. Imagine having compassion for all that they have gone through in life.
3)Breathe in and out and let the love that you feel for that person fill your heart.

Practice the same 3 steps with:
a) a person that you are having problems with.
b) yourself

(don’t choose someone who is very difficult for you but some one who you care about but there is some friction or something between you now) It may take a little while to feel compassion but keep sending love and compassion and understanding.

As you are more able to do this you can try it with people that are more difficult for you. Always starting with someone you love and can feel love for easily and ending with yourself.

In time and with practice you will feel more tenderness and love for all beings.

From my heart to yours
With love and blessings
- Susi