Facing the Perils of Compassion
by Michelle Butt
As human beings and those on a spiritual path through this lifetime, many of us strive to be compassionate people. Yet there are only so many who are actually born to be compassionate. Compassion is part of their story and it is quite literally written on their faces.
Compassion is, in effect, an energy that we can all tap into at any point. Some have to find ways to do this and work hard at tapping into compassion. For others, it is an energy that they live in. It is part of their DNA, if you will.
Our faces not only tell us if we inherited more of our mother or father’s traits through our DNA, they also give us clues to our emotional DNA, the emotional energy systems that we are programmed to access naturally, and those that we grow to habitually access based on our life experiences and choices.
A face with a full mouth, round, plump cheeks, and overall fleshiness is, by design, one of a compassionate person; someone programmed to be a nurturer. Taking care of others, feeding their bellies and their souls feels most joyful to one who genuinely cares about the wellbeing of others. Exhibiting the consummate maternal, gathering energy, people respond well; every communication is colored with love and warmth. Just looking at the face of a nurturer gives others reassurance-they know that you will be there for them to count on to provide a soft place to land. In a world where compassion can so often be lacking, you are a reminder that it is still alive and well.
There is a trap, however, to being a compassionate person by nature: The trap is not knowing when to stop giving. Compassionate ones are tremendously over-giving, working tirelessly for others; often, to the detriment of their own health and happiness. Someone with a compassionate face will be the one who joyfully gets up at 4 a.m. to cook the holiday feast for the whole family, not asking for any help, and remains to do the dishes many tired hours later. The compassionate is the one who rarely says “no;” who will move their boundaries and sacrifice their own needs for the needs of others.
A compassionate that is in the habit of over-giving and doesn’t take time to recharge, to nurture him or herself or to allow others to nurture them, can fall very easily into victim mode. Without a thank-you, or some “me” time, he or she can become bitter and feel like the victim of those whose service they attend. It is easy to succumb to the feeling, “I’ve done everything for you your whole life, and what have I gotten in return?”
In addition, with no reciprocated nurturing from others, there may be a tendency to feed one’s own need for nurturing with food. This may lead to becoming overweight and other potential health issues related to digestion. At the extreme, compassionates who are out of balance cannot only fill their bodies excessively to feel full, they can fill their environments and become hoarders.
The beauty of the face is that it doesn’t just indicate compassion, but also when compassion is out of balance and more self-care is needed. If small vertical lines develop around the mouth or one’s normally full lips have gotten thinner, or if the mouth appears downturned in its neutral state, these are physical early-warning signs that the emotional give-and-take in your life is off-balance. These signs help us realize that our habitual state of over-giving needs some attention: Time to ask for some help and/or appreciation from friends and loved ones.
The goal for all of us is to strive for energetic balance in our lives. Those who are born with compassion in their faces have to learn how to find this balance-to be loving, giving, nurturing beings to others while keeping self-care first and foremost without feeling guilty or selfish. The lesson, and the transformation, is in understanding that unless one is as relentless in their self-care as in their care for others, they cannot be their best, most whole and joyful, compassionate selves.
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About the Author
Michelle Butt is a Face Reading Practitioner, and Certified Master Coach. She is also a contributing author to the book, “Ready, Aim, Captivate!” featuring Deepak Chopra. Face Reading is her passion as she has come to know that ALL that we have internally experienced emotionally, physically, and environmentally tells its story externally on our faces. Our faces are our unique offerings to the world, and they hold a treasure of insights that we can begin to discover and embrace through the science of Face Reading. Michelle’s goal in life is to guide others to achieving the joyful, fulfilling, successful lives that they desire. www.atfacevalu.com
