Calm Your Mind: Attitude #2

Helping the mind remain calm and undisturbed is a lifelong practice. Often our thoughts are agitated from our reactions to other people.

A chapter in the yoga texts focuses on four categories of people and how cultivating certain attitudes will help.

Focus #2:

Cultivate attitude of:  Compassion for the unhappy

This one seems easy when we first look at it.  Of course we are compassionate for others who are not happy.  However, when we are around people that we find annoying and whining, are we able to be merciful toward them?

It is easy to get frustrated and judgmental with those individuals.  

Next time you find yourself feeling impatient with someone who is unhappy, even if their behavior is inappropriate, take a breath and look beyond the behavior and practice compassion, even if you do not feel compassionate.

Your mind will be calmer and your attitude might help them feel better about themselves.

Let me know in the comments below how this worked for you.  If you could not practice compassion, what do you think got in the way?