Compassion - A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way

Compassion, Karuna, is the wise, open and loving heart that also knows the pain of ourselves and of all life. It is a natural part of the way the heart connects us to the world, and in the traditional image, compassion is the trembling of the heart that vibrates with all of life, with its joys and struggles. Today, we are living in difficult times with much conflict. We feel a natural and deep wish to reduce the suffering of ourselves and all others. Compassion is not abstract or idealistic or difficult to develop. It is the understanding, the practice and the commitment to radiate kindness as much as we can. A little kindness can go a long way. It can sometimes profoundly change the narratives and experiences of ourselves and others. This talk was given at a Tovana retreat in July 2025.