Compassion Through Meditation

I start my day with meditation. Its one of the billion ways to start your day. Sit in a padmasana and start breathing deeply. Now move a step further, close your eyes and think of a beautiful picture, count from 100 to 1, or another way is to hum the word "Om!!!." This has a magical effect. After some time, you will feel so fresh.

The world will be a better place if we show kindness to each other. Kindness is the quality of understanding another person and feeling his pulse and doing things accordingly. The King of Pop Michael Jackson had already said in his song "Heal the world, make it a better place, for you and for me and the entire human race......." Now the million dollar question is: "How to develop compassion?" It will start from none other than YOU. Your love for your neighbor, parents and friends and helping them in times of need will spread just like a contagious disease. We all know smile is contagious. So is compassion. It spreads from one level to another and then again into another person. It's a wave just like a sea striking the shore again and again ceaselessly.

A report in New Scientist states that people's capacity of compassion is being studied by psychologist and neuroscientists. Meditation increases the compassionate feelings. It helps improve physical and emotional health. The acts of doing good, known as altruism, is spread through social networks. I am presently reading the reputed Bengali author, Shankar's book "Aami Vivekananda Bolchi." It's a wonderful book where the extracts are collected by the brilliant author and compiled into a book, which throws light on how compassionate was our pride of Bengal, Swami Vivekananda. Swami Vivekananda used to practice yoga and meditation religiously and the biggest example of this scientific study is his act of helping people. He used to give openmindedly and as you go through his life in this wonderful book, you will understand a little bit of meditation everyday can transform into a different person. You inculcate your powers that are hidden deep inside you. You bring forth the power with the art of meditation. Life is full of distractions. So its high time you concentrate and "Be Yourself." This slogan of "Be Yourself" from the popular product of women, Elle 18 is really wonderful and your practice of meditation can help develop the multi-million dollar quality of compassion, which can bring peace in this world. Millions of dollars spent in war between countries will be saved. Many bloodsheds can be stopped if you have kindness in your heart. If you can help a needy person on the roadside, you should feel that you have done something more than mere worshipping your household deity. You have helped a soul in need. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

The study was done at Harvard Medical School in Boston. They chalked out a cooperation game. Scientist Nicholas Christakis devised this game. He organized 120 students and he made groups of four. They were asked to give money to their group. The game lasted five rounds and after each round the students were reorganized so that no two appeared in the same group. The researchers told the participants at the end of each round how much the others in their group had given. Generosity was found to be infectious. If one person gave a dollar more, then the other person gave 20% more to the other group, taking into account that there is a predicted group average.

Finally, I would like to express generosity in a poetic way:

A city without generosity
Without water
Need water to survive
Need YOU by my side
In times of need
YOU are my friend indeed
YOU give my shelter in stormy day
I show you my kind heart
I am not going to flirt
True kindness comes from a broad mind
A mind without congestion of bad thoughts
A mind without impurity
A mind that bows down to helpless
Like Mother Teresa
Mother of all Poor and Orphan
With Millions of fan
Meditating for God's children
Praying for the poor
It's a good act to be sure
With a mind so pure
I feel like Mother's Blessing is always with You
Bowing down in front of Almighty
Doesn't make you less mighty!
You are the King of All Soul
You wipe the tears of the Sick and Poor
Make the world a better place to live!
God's blessing is always with you!
Never argue about the existence of God!
Its there in all good soul!
Worship Man-the Messenger of God
With right prayers, you feel the presence of your favorite friend
A beloved friend is a compassionate friend!
Compassion heals the injured soul!
Compassion is like infection
Compassion gives you mental elevation
You become free of tension
You become cool and calm
You see a sea of possibilities
You help the person drowning in sea
You become an example
You become an ideal neighbor
A great, great Samaritan!