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Welcome to another of my guide Melinda’s Friday messages about how to live life. Melinda and I work together to help people through the tarot readings I deliver. Melinda was a reader in her life. She has a great perspective drawn from her last lifetime, being born in 1696, and her subsequent time as a spirit.

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I have been seeing what is going on in the world and feeling a lack of compassion. Can I tell you something that many people might find odd? Compassion is the key to success. I am very serious about this. Whether we are talking about your friendships, relationship, business, or your country – compassion will get you the best results.

Compassion is a great and nurturing gift to the people who receive it, no doubt. It is often extolled as a great spiritual virtue. Both of these statements are true, but they do not tend to convince people, or give them the focus to work through their ego to a place of compassion.

So let me try to convince you of its Machiavellian value.

Let me start by saying compassion for me is the clear understanding and witnessing of another person’s position or situation. It is not clouded, or obstructed by bias, or judgment, but is founded in a concern for the others person’s well being.

So the first benefit to the person being compassionate is that if they really understand what the other person needs, they can help. They can understand where that person is coming from and what their own relationship to them is. If I am compassionate with you I will know your intentions and grasp your nature and so our connection will be laid out for me. I will be able to then decide what is actually good for me and go from there.

If a circumstance arises that means we cannot be friends then my compassion can also set me free. I will understand the nature of the difference and recognize the limit. Because I am not judging, but just looking at what is going on I can be clearer to let go and move on. Not react and storm off, become triggered and try to fix things, or get depressed and throw in the towel. I will be able to feel what you a feel and take my actions accordingly.

In business all of this is true too. My compassion can allow me to understand my customers needs and grant them what they are looking for if it is in my power to do so. If the match is not good I will be clear about the discrepancy and be able to say no or point them elsewhere. I need not feel anything about it other than clarity.

Of course the key to compassion is that it is antithetical to judgement and criticism. It works well with discernment and honesty and demands of us a valuing of every person’s position – even if we disagree. This is why it such an important value for leaders in general. When people who are in charge-from parents, to business people, to politicians are not in touch with their compassion then the suffering of the world is increased. The exact same decisions enacted without a sense of compassion have a very different impact on those they affect. If there is a concealed judgment the other person will know it. They will feel it. The interaction will hurt more and the bad feelings will last longer.

Be bold, be direct, and be compassionate. You will find all the happiness you are looking for.
Thank you for listening.
Melinda

If you would like to get a reading with Andrew and Melinda to help you clarify the tangles of your life just click here to book.

The Hermit’s Lamp is the blog of Andrew McGregor – Toronto Tarot reader, artist and teacher. The Hermit’s Lamp is also a storefront in Toronto selling metaphysical and spiritual supplies. Please visit The Hermit’s Lamp website for more information on readings and classes both online and in Toronto. You can also check out my podcast here.

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“A request for compassion?” image by David Lally used under Creative Commons License.