Compassion is a word that many healers whom I greatly respect use to describe the state of consciousness they experience in their sessions.

I found this confusing for years. I kept trying to redefine compassion starting with the basics:

A Traditional Definition of Compassion From the Internet:

“a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.”

This did not make any sense at all. I have never felt sorrow for my clients, much less think of them as stricken by misfortune. My strong desire to assist their healing process was also shifting and I could not comprehend, much less verbalize, what was happening.

Then I went through a divorce. During this process, I did many breath sessions. I have no idea how I would have made it through that time in my life without Breathwork, yet not every breathe left me feeling better about my life or my situation. Sometimes I would breathe right into the most painful feelings of grief, loss, failure, and shame. There were several sessions in which I felt emotionally overwhelmed – or trashed – after my breathe.

My breathwork practitioner held the most amazing and beautiful space for me during that time. I never once felt that my lack of “getting better” made her feel inadequate as a breathwork practitioner. Her ego was not invested in my healing. I never felt she thought less of me because I was such a mess. I could just focus and surrender to my process, as ugly as it appeared to me at the time.

All I felt from her was support, nonjudgement, and complete compassion. THAT FEELING OF TOTAL COMPASSION WAS SO HEALING. I will never forget what that was like; just being in that compassionate, nonjudgemental space was incredibly validating and grounding. I am tearing up as I write this. She showed me what true compassion really is.

My definition of compassion is unconditional love without an agenda, the ability to hold the abused and the abuser, the light and the dark, the “good” feelings and the “bad.” Compassion is the ability to hold everything in the moment, in the divine presence of All That Is. It is an energetic healing state.

Over the years, the less desire I have to “alleviate suffering” and be present with what is in the moment, the more effective my healing sessions have become for my clients.

Jeri Lawson has a full-time healing practice in the Temescal Area of Oakland, California. She is available for Healing Touch, Reiki, Distance Healings and Clarity Breathwork Monday through Friday, 10 am to 6 pm. 510-601-9632