“A human being is a part of the whole called by us the "universe," a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his 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

I have decided to focus my own practice this month on compassion and how it can be cultivated in our regular lives. If that interests you too, here are some things to get you started.

1. Questions for your own reflection:

What is compassion? What does compassion mean to you?
What does it take to have compassion in your daily life?
What acts of compassion or kindness did you witness in the last day? How were you involved?

2. Shifting Toward Compassion: An online exercise

www.theexercise.org I think this is a powerful tool by Thom Bond from the NY Center for Nonviolent Communication, that can be used in many situations. The purpose is to experience a "shift" in what you are thinking about and a shift in how you feel along a "connection continuum." Even though it is online, you'll want to find some uninterrupted time (20-30 minutes) and a couple sheets of paper and something to write with.