DAY 46 Mar. 16: The practice for today is COMPASSION. Compassion is about both relieving suffering and about celebration (which also relieves suffering by putting it in a context of gratitude). With compassion comes a greatness of heart. Compassion arises when we allow our heart to be touched by the pain and needs of others. Compassion is about transformation from separateness to unity, from being concerned only with ourselves to being concerned about all of humanity.

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." -The 14th Dalai Lama

A human being is part of the whole, called by us "universe," a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. -Albert Einstein

Today: I will seek out someone with whom I have had a disagreement. I will set aside my own prejudices and preconceptions, step into that person's shoes, look at life through their eyes rather than my own. By doing so, I become one with him, listening and seeing with compassion. Expanding this idea to the broader world, I will engage compassion to lead my actions, my words and my life.