Ascension Mission

A wonderful way to develop your compassionate mind is the informal practice of “wishing people well.”  This simple practice becomes a “habit of mind” by building this compassionate pathway.

• During your day, about once an hour, look around and pick someone out, or if you are by yourself, bring someone into your mind. 
• Next, simply, wish them well. May they be happy and peaceful. 
• Each hour; repeat.

Does this make a difference in their lives?  We would like to think so, but the real change is in you, in your mind-heart. This simple practice becomes a “habit of mind” and by building this compassionate pathway, your first thought is not one of suspicion, but becomes “I hope they are happy and peaceful.” 

Try it before a difficult meeting or encounter. Bring into your mind the people you’re about to meet with and wish them well. You will have a happy and peaceful nature about your approach and they will sense your compassion for them.

It is also important to include yourself in this practice. For caregivers and nurturers, this may seem a little uncomfortable. Whether a professional caregiver, or the caregiver of your family, you may have noticed a tendency to not extend your compassion to yourself and put off your own needs until everyone else’s needs are met. It is important to understand that this approach, in the end, is not sustainable for a life-time of caregiving. 

As a result, we may eventually experience what is referred to as compassion fatigue. We may even begin to wall ourselves off to protect what is left after giving little pieces of ourselves to so many. This barrier causes a budgeting of our involvement and it also stops the flow of compassion that others are offering to us. The sustainable approach is to accept what is offered, fill up from within, and flow over to all that we encounter with abundance and without budget.  

May you be happy and peaceful.