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The Living Path of Compassion
by Matt Kahn

Whether you hope to live a life filled with financial abundance, emotional security, or even daredevil-like adventure, as one enters the spiritual path, often times a radical transformation occurs. This transformation is more like the blossoming of a flower as the heart begins to open. When the heart opens, one is no longer dwelling on what they demand from life, as the inherent beauty of our true nature pours out to be reflected and shared with the world around us.

Some may choose the path of yoga, mantra, meditation, a healing modality, or even a combination any of these, as the spiritual path aligns our focus toward knowing ourselves at a much deeper level, and opening the heart to all that we are. Some paths are more direct than others into this blossoming, and some are so mysteriously direct, there isn't even a single step necessary, or a path you can take to ever find it.

For me, I am deeply intrigued with the paths of mystery. Anything so simple and direct that a path of any kind can only lead away from its true wisdom, has always excited the seeker in me. This is how I discovered the living path of compassion. It wasn't something I was instructed to do by a teacher, or anything I personally read about in books. It was through my own personal investigation into the mystery of "self" that led me to a very simple and profound conclusion - whenever I allow life to be a gift, versus a problem, compassion seems to be my natural state.

Through the eyes of science, a natural state for any species is whatever it does at rest.

When I consciously allow the problems of life to be remembered as gifts of experience, I not only begin to rest in the moment, versus resist it, but what spontaneously manifests itself into that moment is an effortless, compassionate being.

Whenever I would see a problem, all of a sudden, I thought, "How wonderful this moment is, problem and all. For even a second of time occupied with a problem, is still evidence of how graciously the gift of life has been given to me."

The situation I was troubled by remained as it was, and yet the sense of it being a problem completely dissolved, with nothing left but an opportunity to rest in the compassion all moments naturally provide.

I refer to compassion as being "a pathless path" because compassion is not something you earn or attain, but what is naturally arising within you, prior to even the first step forward in any direction.

One could say it is the practicing of compassion that brings about the availability of deeper compassion.

I would add that it is the noticing of what is already happening, even before or after thought and reaction arises, that brings attention to the natural state of compassion flowing and flowering inside of you.

Prior to thought or reaction, there is a sense of you surrounded by a situation we often call the present moment. The thought or reaction interrupts this natural sense of momentary being with a certain point of view. Points of view are not wrong to have, but it is important to know that nearly every view point seems to be in conflict or opposition with what is already happening. A point of view may show you all the reasons why this moment is another disappointment in a life of miserable experiences, or at the very least, points out what could be changed to make things even better.

The importance of a point of view often leads our attention away from the inherent beauty this moment already provides, as a reflection of divinity contained within the magnificent gift of life.

When we rest in a moment, we take a deep breath, and simply allow it to be whatever it already is. When we rest in this way, our natural state of compassion arises to embrace ourselves and the other people who are living out this experience with us.

Just know, there are no steps that take you to this "pathless path" of compassion, but there are a few helpful reminders to point you in that direction as you are guided back into the heart of your true natural state.

Don't take yourself too seriously - Thoughts, judgments, opinions, and stories are simply well orchestrated points of view that project unnecessary conflict onto moments of life. What we call "a problem" is just a way of saying, "I do not like what I am seeing." When you do not like what you are seeing, accept that thought, and allow the subtle arising of compassion to simply lead you through whatever the moment requires of you in peaceful action.

Just give - Whether it's your time, or your attention, the heart blossoms open when inspired by random acts of generosity. If you ever feel like you have nothing to give, even that is not a problem, but points out how you are the next one in line who could use your love, kindness, and compassion right now.

Remember the innocence that hides in all - Adults are only children in bigger bodies, with more complicated thoughts, and bigger vocabularies that are all asking for the same attention and unconditional love.

The living path of compassion effortlessly allows you to tolerate whoever bothers you, to love whoever judges you, and to even thank whoever challenges you beyond what is comfortable. A naturally compassionate self puts no energy into the resistance of life. It reserves its energy for the experiencing of each moment.

This is the beautiful gift of compassionate existence. It invites you to dance with your own divine nature and celebrate our world of senses.

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