you can do this for the people of ukraine

It doesn’t take a war for us to feel helpless. Even caregivers on the front lines of a global pandemic can feel like they’re not making a difference in an overwhelming situation. But I believe that taking a moment to say a few words to yourself in times like these can remind us to move through the world with compassion, ultimately shifting how we relate to one another … as friends and neighbors, and strangers a world away.

photo by Fournier & Malloy photographers

But what can we say? These days, I’ve gone back to one of my favorites:

Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu

Which I’ve been taught translates to:

“May all beings everywhere know happiness and freedom.”

I often close my live streamed classes with a few words of thanks or a reading, but since war broke out in Ukraine this year I’ve gone back to this Sanskrit passage. Behind the words themselves is the idea that, for each of us, our own thoughts and actions contribute to what’s going on around us.

We are living at a time of deep divisions—political, social and more. We’re constantly reminded of the disparity between groups of people, and how they can look at the same thing and see it so differently.

I believe that we all have a spark of kindness within us. We want the best not just for ourselves, but for those we know and love as well. It’s easy for us to slip on the shoes of someone who looks and sounds like us, and to feel empathy for them and their situation. By realizing that all people have the same desire to live a life of ease, we can expand our tender-heartedness to those we don’t even know—who may speak a different language or hold beliefs that are unfamilar to us.

The same sun rises and sets for all of us on this planet. The air surrounding us moves on currents, impacting the quality of life in a distant part of the world. A smile during a business exchange can lift your mood, causing you to pass along that smile to the next person you meet.

Our very existence is nothing without connection. So know that the words you utter as you hold people of Europe (or Asia, or Africa, or right next door …) in your awareness will ignite a tone of compassion that will course through every interaction you have.

Try to take a moment each day to focus your mind’s eye on people who may be struggling—those who you might know personally, dealing with a challenging situation, as well as those on the other side of the world facing armed conflict—and send them your care and concern. That might move you to donate to a cause, attend a rally, or make a change to how you’re doing something. But know that, at the very least, you’ve affected the energy around you, sending out a tone of deep understanding.