Compassion is a feeling deep within ourselves —a “quivering of the heart” — and it is also a way of acting — being affected by the suffering of others and moving on their behalf. Buddha and Jesus are the most well known exemplars of compassion, and it is the central ethical virtue in the two religions that developed from their teachings.
The spiritual practice of compassion is often likened to opening the heart. First, allow yourself to be feel the suffering in the world, including your own. Don’t turn away from pain; move toward it with caring. Go into situations where people are hurting. Identify with your neighbours in their distress. Then expand the circle of your compassion to include other creatures, nature, and the inanimate world.