I was nearly run over by the Dalai Lama's security caravan when he visited Seattle a few years ago. It was the most compassionate and spiritual near-death experience I ever head.

More relevantly, his main message has been that compassion is a skill that can be improved with deliberate mindful practice. It's something that I, a generally non-spiritual person, have taken to heart. I find myself deliberately trying to be compassionate with difficult co-workers and even strangers online. I don't know if makes the world a better place, but it has improved my sense of well being.