Beneath our protective exteriors, we carry wounds. Lost love, broken loyalties, emotional attacks and reoccurring neglect leave marks on the soul. We largely function unaware of these wounds from the past; but they forcefully impact the present. Perhaps, we will never fully understand the imprint of the past in our lives. Needless searches may uncover more trauma than actual exists. We can, however, treat these unseen wounds. They need healing compassion.
Key Definition:
Healing compassion refers to the empathetic and caring attitude that leads to the alleviation of suffering and the promotion of well-being in others. It involves understanding and comforting those in need, providing support, and helping them navigate their challenges with kindness and understanding. This form of compassion is often integral in healthcare, counseling, and support services where the focus is on not only treating physical or emotional wounds but also on tending to the individual’s overall well-being.
Occasionally with thoughtful reflection, we have flashes of enlightenment, organizing the broken pieces of experience; an experience, the disruptive emotions, the past, the present all seem to weave together in an understandable whole. But this is not common. Often experience triggers strong emotions that hijack behaviors, sending us orbiting into the same destructive patterns.
Not recognizing the reasons behind our feelings doesn’t mean there’s no reason for those feelings. We can’t wait for meanings. Often time doesn’t permit. We must patiently move forward, gaining deeper understanding only when it’s available. The meaning behind the hurt may be illuminated and healed but only on its own time and in its own manner.
“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.”
Compassion Heals
This process of healing repeats throughout our lives, a natural part of the maturing process.
An effective ointment to heal these wounds is compassion. Hurts given compassion heal. But finding a trickling spring of compassion among the dry deserts of selfishness isn’t simple. Partners, family, and friends can contribute but the most essential source we discover in our own heart. When we loathe our selves, we misinterpret kindness from others; reject their compassion, confirming our demeaning and hurtful self judgements.
We feel strong emotions; a rush of electrical and chemical balances surge through our bodies that break into consciousness, warning that change is occurring; a feeling reminds of our humanness. Outside encounters constantly poke the sore spots from the past, stirring emotions, and warning of danger. Sore spots remain lodged in our psyches interfering with love, relationships and happiness.
Instead of gathering wisdom from experience, some experience powerlessness; the hurts overwhelm the emotions and they misinterpret opportunities as threats to avoid. These embedded memories, whether explicit or implicit, must be coaxed out with compassion. A secure safety zone must be reestablished.
“An effective ointment to heal these wounds is compassion. Hurts given compassion heal.”
Defensive Reactions
“Do unto others, as you would have other do unto you,” the ancient Hebrew writings encourage. If I need compassion to heal, so do those around me. An emotional reaction from a partner, friend, or family member may activate my fears and incite a protective response, utilizing an immature defense mechanism. But where is the utility in a response that further damages an important relationship? We must break this chain. A defensive response will likely further alienate and hurt. Neither party receives compassion, we trample on trust, delaying the healing process.
The natural march of the sensitive ego quickly entangles communications in the sticky webs of defensiveness. My response to her response encourages another protective response in return. Around and around the (lack of) communication goes without either party hearing or feeling the deeper calls emanating from the words; both parties focus on self while completely blind to the partner. Accumulation of these contested moments determines whether we build trust or damage the relationship.. The message given “I hurt, and you don’t care,” often is the received meaning behind the war of words—no matter what those words may be.
See Defense Mechanisms for more on this topic
Self-Compassion
We harshly judge ourselves. Punishing the smallest errors with impunity. We are human full of flaws and imperfections. It is difficult to unveil the causes for our flaws. They are many. Environments exert a tremendous amount of influence on our development. Lawrence Heller wrote, “simply understanding that…shame reflects the environmental failure…experienced” rather than a judgment of who we really are helps many people suffering from “lifelong patterns of low self-esteem, shame, and a sense of worthlessness to see themselves in a new, more compassionate way” (Heller, 2012. Kindle location: 2,369).
Childhoods full of toxic conflict and exposure leave an impact, impacting our self-image into our adult lives. Our partners and our injured souls need compassion.
To change hurtful patterns, we must consciously break the chain, momentarily stepping back from the emotions and asking, “What is my partner feeling?” Maybe we have distanced ourselves too long; and have broken the connection. We may have to clearly ask about their feelings and non-defensively receive their answer. We may discover our partner’s anger, sadness and fears. And with that knowledge, we in return give them compassion. And the compassion heals.
The Path to Healing
This kinder path to ourselves and to others, eventually, provides softness to our fears and healing to our hurts. We need compassion. As intimacy deepens, we recognize a partner’s feelings early, quickly reaching out with compassion; simple gestures and an open heart begin the healing process. By assisting in the healing of a partner, we create a bond—a bond of trust, a bond of love. Within these bonds, we find security and a return of compassion.
Compassion heals. Nurture feelings towards others. Practice kindness towards yourselves. Slowly these feelings embrace our lonely and hurting hearts, giving us the security we need to flourish.
Last Update: March 9, 2024
References:
Heller, Lawrence; LaPierre, Aline (2012). Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image, and the Capacity for Relationship. North Atlantic Books; 1st edition.
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