Compassion… The greatest of virtues

Ranked a great virtue in numerous philosophies, compassion is considered in almost all the major religious traditions as among the greatest of virtues.

Compassion motivates people to go out of their way to help the physical, spiritual, or emotional hurts and pains of another. Compassion is often regarded as having an emotional aspect to it, though when based on cerebral notions such as fairness, justice and interdependence, it may be considered rational in nature and its application understood as an activity based on sound judgment. There is also an aspect of compassion which regards a quantitative dimension, such that individual’s compassion is often given a property of “depth,” “vigour,” or “passion.” The etymology of “compassion” is Latin, meaning “co-suffering.” More involved than simple empathy, compassion commonly gives rise to an active desire to alleviate another’s suffering.

In this article, ‘Do you care?’, Rick Hanson, Ph.D., psychologist, and  New York Times best-selling author, discusses compassion and why it’s so beneficial for our relationships and connections with others. You will also learn about a range of things that you can do to bring more compassion into your life, and the lives of those you care about.

As always, we would love to hear your thoughts.

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