Live Whole Health #238: Compassion is good for you, and it’s only a breath away

Do you remember when you were a child and you felt sad, scared or hurt? Do you remember how it all changed the moment you realized there is someone who cares? Maybe it was a parent, a grandparent, a teacher, a friend or a pet who cared about you. Someone cared-and it made all the difference in the world.

That's what compassion is-being someone who cares. And compassion is a two-way street. There is someone who cares about you, and there is someone whom you care about. When we connect with compassion, it is literally good for our health. Research shows that compassion makes us more resilient to stress, improves our mental wellbeing and strengthens our immune system. It's what we all need.

So how do we connect with compassion? It's actually very simple. It's literally right under our nose, and we are doing it all the time. When we breathe in, we take in the precious oxygen that our body needs. We take in the compassion of the trees and plants that are generously giving out what we need, every second of every day. And when we exhale, we breathe out carbon dioxide that the trees and plants need for their survival and growth.

In this video, Dr. Greg Serpa from the Greater Los Angeles VA guides us through a 10-minute compassionate breathing exercise, bringing awareness to our breath as we take in kindness and breathe out compassion. We can begin with this simple circle of compassion that's always unfolding right under our nose, and expand gradually to include our family, neighbors and community.

With ongoing practice of this compassionate breathing meditation, we can become more engaged and integrated into the natural web of compassion of which we're already a part.

Learn how to bring more Mindful Awareness into your life with Whole Health.