समानुभूति
Samānubhūti


June 24, 2022

Commentary by Ami Bansal and Garima Borwankar

Part IV

In Part III of the commentary on samānubhūti, the virtue that Shri Gurumayi has given us for her birthday on June 24, 2022, we—Ami and Garima—had begun leading you in an exploration of the following aspect of the virtue:

Samānubhūti is the awareness of parity that leads to deep empathy, compassion, and understanding.

We looked at how samānubhūti leads to deep empathy. In this part of the commentary, we will delve into another of the qualities of samānubhūti that we have identified in this statement: compassion.

On the one hand, compassion is similar to empathy, and on the other hand, it is markedly distinct from it.

The Sanskrit and Hindi words for compassion are karunā and dayā. The meanings of these words include “tenderness” (or “tender-heartedness”), “mercifulness,” “sensitiveness,” and “kindness”—in addition to “compassion.”

Both compassion and empathy arise from the awareness of the oneness and interconnectedness that exist among all beings in this world. (We explain what exactly this means in Part I of the commentary.) Now, if you just go by what empathy and compassion feel like, they may seem extremely similar. For example, they can both feel like a tenderness stirring up within you, kindling a desire, an inclination to reach out and help those in need. You may think of empathy and compassion as sahachar, close companions of each other, or as humrāhī, fellow travelers—and from time to time you might even hear these words, empathy and compassion, used interchangeably.

However, you, as the reader of this commentary, have come a long way in your understanding of samānubhūti—just as we, the writers of this commentary, have continued to develop our own! You won’t be surprised, then, to learn that when you begin to parse the meaning of these two words and take a closer look at the nuances specific to each one, the distinctions between them become more evident.

One clear and easy way to perceive these distinctions is through the external impetus that elicits a response of either empathy or compassion within you. Empathy, as stated in Part I, can encompass feeling someone’s pleasure or their pain; it can involve celebrating their joys or feeling their suffering, depending on their situation.

Compassion, meanwhile, has a slightly different scope. Often people will feel compassion when they see someone undergoing some kind of hardship, some trial or tribulation. But we also can—and do—feel compassion when we see someone longing for something which they have yet to attain; or when we see them working hard, toiling away, making sacrifices in pursuit of some noble goal; or when they’re grappling to know or understand something that’s unfamiliar to them. Compassion arises when we perceive the distance between where someone is and where they wish to be, or where we think they deserve to be. It is fueled by our sense of shared humanity with that person (or, if the recipient of our compassion is an animal or a plant or some other part of the natural world, a broader sense of fellow-feeling). It is also fueled by our perception of their goodness—their worthiness, their sincerity, the earnestness of their efforts.

We might feel compassion for someone living in abject poverty because we know that, just by virtue of their being a person on this planet, they deserve better—they deserve food, shelter, a sense of security. We might feel compassion when reading the histories of people who were oppressed, time and again, by their leaders—and who were consequently deprived of the right to lead their lives in the manner in which they would have chosen. And we might also feel compassion when someone shares with us their wish to have the kinds of wonderful experiences in meditation that they hear other people do—even though they themselves must be having great experiences in meditation! It is apparent to us, as we listen to them, that they are not recognizing and valuing the power and beauty of their own experiences.

Ami—one of the writers of this commentary—has a story to share with you from her own life about the virtue of compassion. In the years since it took place, it has set Ami on a path of discovery that’s been by turns mysterious, revelatory, and fruitful. Ami says:

One morning in the early 1990s, Gurumayi was giving darshan to a group of some fifty Gurukula students in Gurudev Siddha Peeth, which included Trustees, managers, and department heads. We had gathered in Swagatam, one of the Ashram’s serene meditation halls. I was offering sevā as a darshan assistant, and I was also one of the department heads.

During this darshan Gurumayi invited us to share about our experience of offering sevā in the Ashram. One of the people present stood up and shared about a situation in which she had to interact with many people. As this person was sharing, it seemed to those of us listening that she had exhibited a certain brusqueness in her manner as she was interacting with them.

At that point, Gurumayi spoke about the importance of demonstrating the virtue of compassion when offering sevā. She asked the group, “What does it mean to be compassionate?” Gurumayi then sat quietly, giving all of us time to ponder this question.

After some time, people began to give different answers, such as “Compassion is love” and “Compassion is kindness.” Once we had all gone around and shared, Gurumayi gave her answer: “To be compassionate is to be nonjudgmental.”

“Wow!” I thought to myself when I heard Gurumayi say this. It was a new perspective for me. As I was processing the deep meaning of Gurumayi’s words, I glanced around. I observed that the others looked pensive and, like me, seemed to be making an effort with every fiber of their being to understand Gurumayi’s answer. I had never, in my seventeen years of life up to that point, thought about compassion in this way.

As I was teasing out the meaning of Gurumayi’s teaching—“To be compassionate is to be nonjudgmental”—it dawned on me that so often I could be quick to judge others and even myself as “good” or “bad.” My worldview was shaped and colored by all these ideas and concepts about what was right or wrong, what was acceptable and what was not, and by the judgments that I’d then make (often unconsciously) based on those criteria. As I continued my Siddha Yoga sādhanā, I became more aware of how these rigid concepts were my own creation. I made it a joyful practice to begin to question these concepts one by one and to see if they held up in the light of the Truth.

In view of this story, we (Ami and Garima) discussed what it means to be nonjudgmental. Our first thought was: it’s not easy! And why not? Well, it is in the very make-up of humans—and many animals—to think, to analyze, to interpret, to evaluate, to assess, to scrutinize, to make assumptions, and to come to conclusions. On a primal level, we do this to ascertain if whoever or whatever is before us poses a threat—if they are friend or foe.

Now, our mechanism of judgment can certainly be faulty. It’s not that we always accurately assess whether or not someone is a threat, and our gauge for such assessments is informed by our own preconceived notions, conditioned responses, what we’ve learned and experienced and been taught over the years. Nonetheless, the instinct kicks in. We make our judgments—often in no more than a split-second—and we respond accordingly.

There’s also the fact that difference can be a good and welcome thing. Everyone on this earth has been endowed with their own unique traits and personality. Everyone has a different background and life circumstances. This is what makes life so interesting, so phenomenal, so worth living. This is what brings a kaleidoscope of color to this whole manifestation. This is what makes the world go round.

Nonetheless, at our core—at our essence—we are all the same. On the Siddha Yoga path, our Gurus have continually encouraged us to cultivate and maintain this awareness of our oneness. By following their teachings, we have learned how to rein in the mind—how to keep bringing it back to the awareness of oneness, so that we can enjoy the diverseness of this world without forgetting the source of that diverseness, and without using our perceived differences as fodder for division and conflict.

Kashmir Shaivism explains that all this manifoldness is the Lord’s creation. Once we become established in this knowledge, we realize the futility of judging each other or ourselves. Think about it this way: if we are all fundamentally one, then there is nothing and no one to judge. Right? And if that is right, then how come? Well, even judging oneself requires someone to compare ourselves with!

Admittedly, the effort to acquire and remain firm in this knowledge—to remember oneness and not be deceived by difference—can feel like a perpetual push-and-pull. It’s therefore useful to probe a bit deeper and inquire as to what it is, exactly, that keeps us so fixated on our differences and thereby habituated to passing judgment.

There are many contributing factors. That being said, one of the main vices that leads us astray is pride, ahamkāra.

The Sanskrit and Hindi word ahamkāra is a product of two words: aham and kāra. Aham in Sanskrit literally means “I.” Here kāra refers to the limited self that identifies as the doer, as the sole agent behind any action. Thus, ahamkāra is the faculty that gives us our limited sense of self—it binds us to a sense of “mine” or “my-ness.” Ahamkāra disconnects us from our own innate and natural Self, which is inherently free and limitless. When our actions are led by ahamkāra, we perform them with a sense of doership, and with egotism, self-conceit, self-absorption, and ignorance.

Where compassion arises from the awareness of sama—from recognizing what makes you the same as, and equal to, all in this world—pride arises from a sense of separateness. Pride feeds on perceived differences and leverages those differences to its own advantage. When laced with pride, what we think of as compassion is in fact not compassion. Instead, it is pity.

When you have pity for someone, it signifies that you have a “holier-than-thou” attitude, that on some level you think of yourself as better than or superior to the other person. And whether you intend to do so or not, that’s what you communicate in your behavior toward them, in your words and your actions. You therefore shouldn’t be disconcerted when the people you are trying to help resist or rebuff your offers of support. They have their own sense of dignity, of integrity, of self-worth, and they will pick up on it if you’re not recognizing the same in them. An Amish proverb puts it succinctly: “Instead of putting others in their place, put yourself in their place.”

The irony is that when ahamkāra, pride in oneself, is shed, one is left with the pure aham, the pure “I.” Usually we attach to this aham (this “I” or “I am…”) some qualifier expressing who we think we are or some marker of our position in the world—for example, “I am a doctor” or “I am good at sports” or “I am not as smart as other people.” Some of these descriptions may be accurate and useful for us as we navigate the world; others may be of more questionable veracity. In either case, they do not describe who we are fundamentally.

We begin to comprehend this truth once the Kundalinī Shakti within us has been awakened by the grace of a Sadguru. Through our sādhanā, we come to see how we have limited ourselves to the small “I,” the limited sense of self, and have considered it the “be-all and end-all” of who we are. With this new understanding comes the recognition that we can separate our identity from our limited sense of self—and that, by employing the means the Gurus have given us through their teachings and practices, we can come to perceive the supreme Self residing within us. As we continue to associate this aham, this “I am,” with the Self, it then becomes aham brahmāsmi, “I am Brahman, the Absolute Self.”

motif

Many times, when faced with a situation that calls for compassion, people feel unsure of what to do. They may think of themselves as compassionate people because they think they are good-hearted and have good intentions. But when the time comes to actually demonstrate compassion—to put the virtue into action—they find themselves hesitating. Or else they act in a way that communicates something other than compassion to the person they’re wanting to support. Their apparent uncertainty, their seeming discomfort, and possibly their own thoughts and feelings about similar experiences they’ve had in the past wind up being on display.

Why is this? And what can any of you, if you can admit to seeing yourselves in this example, do about it?

As you know, one of Shri Gurumayi’s teachings is “Practice, practice, practice. Abhyāsa, abhyāsa, abhyāsa.” We have learned from Gurumayi that in order to effectively implement the virtues, it is necessary to have first practiced them. Just as excellence in any endeavor requires much practice, so too do you need to practice the virtues.

Practice allows you to learn what it looks and feels like for you to express the virtues. It helps you to understand how your mind, body, and heart respond to situations in which you want to express this virtue, and it gives you the opportunity to learn how to contend with whatever comes up inside of you. Then, when the moment arrives for you to exhibit the virtue in a real-world scenario, and for the benefit of someone else, you find that your mind is clear and steady. You notice that you are grounded in strength. You are able to move and comport yourself with certainty. You simply know what to do.

Over the years, many of you have been reading the commentaries on the sadguna vaibhava, the virtues Gurumayi has given for each day of the month of June, Birthday Bliss. In doing so, you may have also read and practiced the affirmation that is included at the end of each commentary.

These affirmations are from Gurumayi. She has given them to ensure that you have a way to remember the crux of what you have read in these commentaries written by Siddha Yogis, as well as a ready means of practicing the virtue. You can repeat the affirmations to yourself. You can say them silently and aloud, feeling the energy of the virtue flow through you as you take on its qualities and recognize them within yourself.

At the same time, we have another way to practice the virtues. On the Siddha Yoga path, Gurumayi has given dhāranās as a means for people to arrive at and to usher their being into a chant, or to enter into meditation, so that they can be fully ready to experience that practice and get the most out of it. For your practice of the virtue that Gurumayi has given for June 24, 2022—the virtue of samānubhūti—we, Ami and Garima, have received Gurumayi’s blessing to write a dhāranā about compassion, one of the qualities that samānubhūti encompasses.

The instructions for the dhāranā are below. You may practice it along with the audio recording on this page. Please be sure to give the practice your full attention; you will want to do it in a quiet and private space, and you should not do it in the midst of any other activity (such as walking or driving).

motif

Take a comfortable posture.

Visualize the natural flow of your breath.

You may close your eyes.

Now, envision a scenario in which you are with someone who would benefit from your compassion.

               It could be a person.

                              It could be an animal.

                                             It could also be a plant or a tree.

Take a few moments to visualize the details of the scene.

               Where are you? What is the setting?

Observe the situation.

               How does this person—or animal, or plant—appear to be feeling?

                              What is their need?

                                             What is their state of being?

Now, visualize yourself expressing your compassion for them.

               What do you say?

                              What do you do?

                                             How do you do it?

As you are in this scene, extending compassion,

               notice what is going on inside of your being.

                              What do you feel in your body?

                                             Survey your body,

                                                            from the top of your head

                                                                           all the way to your toes.

                              Witness what is happening in the different parts of your body.

As you are in this scene, extending compassion,

               what is happening in your mind?

Are any thoughts moving across the screen of your awareness?

As you are extending compassion,

               what is happening in your heart?

What feelings are arising within you?

Witness what other emotions are welling up within you.

Witness what other sensations you feel under your skin.

Witness whether your mind is numb, or percolating with energies.

Witness whether your eyes are moist with tears.

Witness whether silence is coming over you.

Just witness—it is for you to recognize what you truly experience within your being

when you

are extending compassion.

Each experience is unique, and each experience is your own.

Stay with what is happening inside of your being.

Now, once again, bring your attention to your breath.

               Visualize the natural flow of your breath.

                              Observe your in-breath and your out-breath.

You may open your eyes.

Thank yourself for practicing how to extend your compassion.

Do reflect on what you have learned about yourself from doing this practice.

Do reflect on what came up for you about compassion in general.

You may find it useful to continue practicing this dhāranā to strengthen your ability to express compassion—a key aspect of the virtue of samānubhūti.

Click here to read Part V

Dhāranā read by Ami Bansal

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    Every time I practice the dharana, I notice that my capacity for compassion increases. Each time, I envision the same scenario with the same person—a friend of mine who is going through a rough time. With each practice, I feel as though I am able to more fully give myself to the situation without being judgmental. I hope to continue to learn and grow through practicing this dharana.

    Michigan, United States

    As I practiced this dharana, holding in mind a woman with whom I am in conflict, I saw both of us burst into a golden flame. I then went into a blissful meditation. Now, as I write these words, I’m sending blessings to her and praying that she will go into the future with peace and compassion in her heart.
     

    Utah, United States

    I practiced the dharana and brought to my consciousness a girl who suffers from bipolar illness, depression, and panic attacks. She doesn’t drive, and I drive her sometimes as part of my work.  
     
    In the dharana, I saw myself in the car with her, listening to her anxieties and feeling my own anxieties surface as well. I observed myself feeling such sweetness for her. I told her: “Have courage! Surely you will, we will, have courage.” I felt no distinction between us. My eyes filled with tears, and my heart rejoiced in the feeling of being of service to her and to myself.

    Naples, Italy

    I have engaged in this dharana several times, and its effects have been truly uplifting. In one instance, I was about to go into a department meeting that I was feeling anxious about, particularly in regard to one of the people there. After engaging in this dharana, in which I focused on this colleague, I found myself feeling extremely light, positive, and eager to give my best to our endeavor.

    Virginia, United States

    I am so very grateful for this commentary on samanubhuti. Contemplating it and practicing the dharana every day have awakened in me a whole new perspective on compassion.

    In the past, my habit when someone shared an issue with me was usually to focus on “fixing” it. Often, this problem-solving approach was not what was being called for. Yet the pattern seemed so deeply ingrained in me that I had a hard time changing it.

    Reading and contemplating this commentary have helped me learn a different way to relate to others. For example, a friend recently shared with me about a certain situation. At first, without even realizing it, I started commenting in my usual fix-it mode. She stopped me and told me that what she truly wanted was for me to hear what she was saying. I was able to respond by entering a deep state of listening. As I did so, I could feel compassion rising within me. I feel that our connection and closeness have deepened from this interaction.

    North Carolina, United States

    Reading Gurumayi’s guidance that being compassionate means being “nonjudgmental” and practicing the dharana in this exposition have brought me to a new place in my understanding of this virtue.

    After practicing the dharana a few times, I became aware of just how much judgment is present when I try to offer compassion. It reminded me that the ego has so many guises, and it often asserts itself even in sadhana. Then, in meditation, I asked Gurumayi to please show me how to release judgment.

    Since this prayer arose, I’ve become aware of a quality of lightness in my being, in my interactions, and in my intentions. My mind—instead of being judgmental—seems more open, free, and tender. I am energized by this lightness of being and feel deeply held by my Guru’s love. I’m reminded again of the power of asking a sincere question, being a student, praying to my teacher—and seeing how grace flows in response.

    Rhode Island, United States

    I practiced this dharana for a family member. As I internally responded to the questions being asked, I realized that I often wish for a specific outcome when I try to demonstrate compassion or extend kindness toward someone. I want something to change for that person. This desire can often create tinges of frustration within me if I don’t see the change taking place.  

    As I practiced compassion during the dharana, I let myself experience what it would be like to put myself in the shoes of the other person without wanting anything as a result. As I did so, I was filled with waves of kindness. I felt this sweetness transform into light, which infused me, my surroundings, and the person I was sharing compassion with.  

    The next time I practice compassion, I intend to focus on what it is like to be in the other person’s place, rather than on how to get them out of the situation that is causing them angst.

    South Melbourne, Australia

    I practiced the dharana, bringing to my awareness an amazing Ukrainian woman I had “met” in an online course just as the war broke out, and with whom I stayed in touch.
     
    As I witnessed and held space in my heart for her incredible sadness about her country, her people, and having to leave her beloved home, I felt myself completely present, yet calm. Tears welled up as I shared her pain. But the most remarkable part of my experience was also witnessing her incredible light and strength. In holding the space for her sadness, I also held the space for her light.
     
    This dharana highlighted for me that in expressing compassion, there is no victimhood. 

    California, United States

    I practiced this dharana three times for three different people so far. I held the words “being nonjudgmental” in my awareness as I did the dharana. For each person my experience was unique.
     
    Although my experience was so different with each person, the one thing I tangibly experienced each time was that I was in a space of “pure giving.” All I wanted for them was that they be very happy and have a lot of inner peace. This wish for them was so pure.
     
    I scrutinized whether it was a space of pity, as the commentary explained. Because I felt so free, I was assured and relieved it was not. I didn’t feel entangled in their life situations, and I experienced a deep respect—divine respect, I would say—toward each one of them, for I felt they and I are essentially one and the same, that they are an extension of my own Self. In my physical body I also felt a sensation of warmth flowing. My heart felt feather-light and I loved this feeling.
     

    a Gurukula student in Gurudev Siddha Peeth

    After reading Part IV of this commentary, I realized how often I make judgments about people and situations. I thought with some concern about how profound and difficult it can be to develop into a nonjudgmental person.

    To find comfort, I recited Shri Guru Gita. Soon a warm feeling unfolded in my heart and spread through my body. It was not love, it was—compassion! It felt like the compassion of God, of my Guru, of my highest Self for me as a disciple. I was profoundly moved.
     
    This experience reinforced my understanding that I am not alone on the path, that the Guru’s grace always helps me, and that compassion for myself is incredibly comforting. With these insights, I am now on my way to practicing the virtues of nonjudgmentalness and compassion.
     

    Unterlangenegg, Switzerland

    I am so grateful for this commentary. Each part is so beautifully written and explained; they have really helped me to contemplate the true meaning of the words empathy, kindness, and compassion. These are all qualities I believe in and try to practice. Having learned from this commentary about the subtle differences in each quality, and the role that ego can play in changing those practices from their true and pure form to something different, gives me pause and inspires more mindfulness in me when thinking about how to embody samanubhuti.
     
    I am grateful for the gift of this in-depth and very relatable and understandable explanation.
     

    Michigan, United States

    In doing the dharana in this commentary, I chose to extend compassion toward someone I know who has suffered greatly in her life. At first, as I held her in my heart, I felt almost crushed by the weight of her pain. Then I remembered that true compassion arises from unity awareness. I saw that both she and I are made of the same divine substance. We are both the Self.

    With this understanding I moved to a place of equipoise within. I began to see this person as moving toward greatness. I felt a tangible force extending from my heart to hers, uplifting and encouraging her. All the while my body was becoming softer. I could feel the guards of protection that had been in place melt away and a strength based in love replacing them.

    Hampton, Australia

    This morning I first read Gurumayi’s teaching “To be compassionate is to be nonjudgmental,” and then this sentence: “Kashmir Shaivism explains that all this manifoldness is the Lord’s creation.” Just then, in a flash, I noticed my computer and keyboard array, and recognized my judgment that all this is the creation of great minds, clever people, and far-reaching solutions in the world of communication.

    In that moment I saw how I judge other people, situations, and myself, and that this judging is a fault in my understanding. That fault obscures for me the truth that all this is the work of Consciousness, as it works through people, nature, and all the cosmic forces. Consciousness is the only “doer.”

    I am grateful for the way this commentary is helping me to expand my awareness and my perspective.

    London, United Kingdom

    The other day, I was buying some salad greens at the marketplace when an old woman turned to me and said, “I’m looking for endive; I like endive.” I heard such innocence in her voice. With gentleness, I told her endive is a winter salad green so she wouldn’t find it now. And so she chose from the salad greens available. Enjoying the state of my heart, I began to silently repeat the mantra. With my eyes sparkling, I continued on my way.

    In the simplicity of that interaction, I found that my listening and paying attention had inspired compassion in me, which took me into the purity of my heart and enabled me to give to those around me and also to receive in return. I entered a space of universality where there is no inferiority or superiority—just sama, equality. With compassion, through my humanity I became able to experience my divinity.

    Rodez, France

    I am so grateful for the teachings and reflections in this commentary. Today is my birthday and I received it all as my birthday gift, my birthday dharana, my birthday teachings!
     
    In doing this dharana, I imagined offering my compassion to my eleven-year-old godchild. Actually, I had been feeling sad for some weeks because the lovely heart connection we’d had since she was born seemed to be finished as she, now entering puberty, suddenly didn’t show much interest any more in our relationship. As I did this dharana, all my emotions felt so turbulent. But then, as tears began to run down my face, I felt both my mind and my heart expand, and a peaceful love replaced my wild emotions—a peaceful faith in love. I felt completely changed—happy and compassionate.
     
    Some minutes later she called me by phone. After weeks. I couldn’t believe it. What grace of the Siddhas! What grace of the Guru!

    Palzing, Germany

    It is one thing to read about compassion, and quite another to be able to bring compassion forward in a real-life situation with intense emotional impact. The dharana offered in this commentary mirrors my life at this moment as I extend compassion to a loved family member in my role as primary caregiver. We are in a difficult phase now, and in some of the most painful moments, the inner guidance to “just witness” has already arisen spontaneously. Reading the instruction in this dharana to “just witness” confirms for me that grace has been with me and my loved one all along, and continues to be with us both.

    One of the amazing things I have learned about Siddha Yoga practices and Gurumayi’s grace is that grace brings the right teaching forward at the right time. It doesn’t necessarily make life easier, but it certainly makes difficult times more bearable. That has been welcome comfort for me.

    West Vancouver, Canada

    As I practiced the dharana, I was pleasantly surprised that my awareness and inner state shifted from my own fears and challenges to a place of strength, patience, and yes, compassion. I felt patience arise, along with the strength to support the other person and a great feeling of calm.
     

    Minnesota, United States