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Welcome to a journey of the heart where we share insights.
Guided meditations and music to empower your state of mind.

A Compassionate Life
**A Compassionate Life** To live compassionately is to direct the flow of our energy to support and care for both others and ourselves. We are nurturing and loving, as well as protective and strong. I describe this as the “yin and yang” of compassion and self-compassion. The challenging times we are living through call on many of us – especially healthcare workers - to draw deeply from our inner reserves. We need a special wisdom and sense of perspective, and a method to prepare ourselves, to face daily challenges. As a consultant psychiatrist and Chair of the Janki Foundation for Spirituality in Healthcare, I have long understood that healthcare professionals especially need these capabilities. At the Janki Foundation, we have developed an App – “Happidote” – to support them. * It provides tools, such as short meditations, to help users stabilize and prepare to face difficult situations by taking brief periods of time to withdraw into peace and silence, and recharge. Our empathy for people who are suffering demonstrates sensitivity to, and feeling for, others; but as we resonate with their pain, we risk being caught up in a draining emotion that can affect us negatively. By contrast, compassion is a positive energy that uplifts and helps others to come out of their suffering. Brain scans show that when we practice being compassionate, letting the energy of this feeling flow from ourselves, we are engaging a different part of the brain from that involved in feeling empathy. Self-compassion is essential to our wellbeing. It is the same energy that we can give others when they are suffering but directed inwards to nurture and comfort, provide protection and build strength for ourselves. When faced with others’ suffering, it may guide us to set limits as to what we can do for them, and to work through our own feelings of fear and pain. Learning how to turn love and compassion inwards also helps to calm the “inner critic”. This internal voice can trigger the same neurophysiological responses as external stress factors. The more we create a habit of self-criticism, the more we add to the risk of developing physical signs of stress, including high blood pressure and ulcers. Meditation guides us to observe and understand our inner conversation – the tone of voice, the words we choose, and the energy with which we respond to our pain. While we can learn to alter our thought patterns through cognitive behavioural therapy, the way to transform them is by meditating deeply. It is a way to recognize our thoughts and feelings, without denying or suppressing them. Observing in silence, creating a distance from what is going on in my mind, I decide which thoughts to let go, and which to pursue. The more I practise, the deeper I can go, tracking back to a place of safety and peace. I understand that I am a soul with everything I need within, connected with the Supreme Soul, an energy I come to know, love and recognize is always there to help me in my life. I am peaceful, loving, powerful and clear – this is the real me.
Respect begets respect
‘Be careful how to speak to yourself because you are listening…’ It is so easy to give respect to those who are worthy of it in your eyes, but how about giving respect to those who do not quite measure up! To give respect to all and not just those you like is the true meaning of giving respect. Not being able to show respect says a lot more about us than it does about the one in front of us. Sometimes we believe we should only exercise this quality of respect towards those who have demonstrated that they are deserving of it. Yet, it is possible to have regard for all human beings, despite their actions in the moment. In fact, when we do not give regard to all, we deprive ourselves of feeling and exercising this quality, which in fact, is a valuable treasure. In spiritual terms, to give is to receive. It is when we do not realise that we are beings of love, then we go seeking love, approval, or regard from others. We only need something when we feel empty. When we are in our self-respect that automatically attracts respect from others and also helps them to engender respect for themselves. When one has self-respect, then one need not compare or compete with another. A person with self-respect understands that to compare is futile, and to compete is nonsensical. By contrast, comparing and competing are both symptoms of a fragile, inflated ego. Ego and esteem are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Ego is always looking outwards to what others are doing, wondering whether I am ‘better than…’, or ‘worse than…’ and always causes pain. Self-esteem is about building our sense of self from the inside and cannot cause pain. The easiest way to build our sense of self is to spend a little time with ourselves, in peace, in meditation. If we have love and respect for ourselves, it will be very easy to give respect and create harmony. Always remember that each one of us came onto the earth to share a particular quality with the world. So, if you cannot yet see the quality you are meant to be sharing, then look a little harder, for it will surely be there.
Willpower
12:45
A time for healing
10:10
The One Question
39:00

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