Compassion and Nyingje: A Meditative Journey Through Art

There are some words that we carry close to our hearts, and compassion is one of them. In Tibetan, we call it Nyingje (སྙིང་རྗེ།).

I am happy to share two of my Zentangle-inspired art. One carries the word Compassion in English, and the other carries Nyingje in Tibetan. Both express the same meaning, but for me, they hold something deeper than just a word.

As a Tibetan, one message from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama that I hold very close to my heart is simple: Be compassionate.

I find this message beautiful, yet I also find it challenging. It is easy to speak about compassion, but how often do we truly practise it in our thoughts, words, and actions? I often remind myself that knowing the word and living its meaning are two different things.

Whenever I see His Holiness through his photographs, books, or videos, I am reminded of the importance of compassion. His presence brings me back to a simple reflection: whatever we do in life, can we carry compassion in our hearts? Can we extend it not only to others but also to ourselves, and to everyone we meet?

For me, art has become one way of returning to this reflection. I created these two pieces through what I like to call meditative art. As I draw, I slow down, observe my thoughts, and reconnect with what matters to me. Whenever I feel that I am losing touch with Nyingje, I return to my art as a way of reminding myself of the person I wish to become.

This practice does not mean that I always succeed in being compassionate. Rather, it gives me a moment to pause, reflect, and begin again.

This year, as His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama turns 91, I feel grateful for the message he has shared with the world throughout his life. His teachings remind me that compassion is not merely an ideal to admire; it is something we must try to live, one thought and one action at a time.

When we look around the world today, with wars, violence, and destruction affecting so many lives, I find myself wishing that compassion could reach the hearts of everyone, especially those who have the power to make decisions that affect others. Imagine what might change if compassion became part of the way we think, lead, and treat one another.

I share these two pieces not because I have mastered compassion, but because I, too, need to be reminded of it.

May we learn to speak with compassion, think with compassion, and act with compassion. May we be kind to ourselves and to others. And may compassion find its way into places where there is hatred, suffering, and conflict.

May Nyingje live in every heart. May His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama live long.

With compassion and gratitude.