Compassion

What Have You Traded Love For?

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Our society has traded…

LOVE for indifference

LOVE for hate

LOVE for anger

LOVE for resentment

LOVE for _____________

Without LOVE, COMPASSION, KINDNESS, and EMPATHY, we become a society of unconscious beings who put their wants and needs first. Living life this way leaves us feeling lonely, empty, and sad. We look to get more material things, wealth, and power to gain a false sense of security. We struggle with everyday life, feeling there has to be more to life, never realizing that what we seek cannot be found externally.

For those who have the courage, the willingness, and an unbending intention, a more profound journey takes place, one that will bring more balance between our external and internal worlds. We cannot find this balance by just seeking more knowledge or using our intellect alone. It cannot be found by going to church, the synagogue, mosque, or other worship places, without continuing to do the work after leaving these hallowed halls.

Once again, we must connect with the tenderness of the heart, just think of small children, how open and joyous they live. How quickly they let go of their upset. The brash and hard exteriors we have falsely created to protect ourselves only leads to conflict, hurt, and suffering. You only have to look around to see this, feel it, and hear it everywhere across the planet.

You have a simple choice that, for many, will be hard to make. However, at some point, whether now, on your deathbed or somewhere in between, a choice will be made. Just remember that not making a decision now is a choice.

When enough people begin to go inward and explore self-inquiry, everything will change for everyone. Will you be one of the courageous beings who steps towards your True-Self? Or will you continue to hold tight onto who you have become?

Time to Understand and Know

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We hate before we understand or know.
We do not take the time to understand or know.
We express anger before we understand or know.
We make judgments before we understand or know.
We make assumptions before we understand or know.
We stand in righteousness before we understand or know.
We disdainfully look at others before we understand or know.
We sit on the seat of white privilege before we understand or know.

Do we have to understand or know before we show compassion, empathy, kindness, or love?

What can you really understand or know? The truth of someone else’s experience cannot be known if we have not shared the experience. We cannot know someone else’s suffering if we have not carried their burdens. It can only be imagined, and that is not the truth, that is not reality. It is more comfortable to sit in judgment than to understand or know.

Human beings are souls of the Divine creator, no matter their religious beliefs, skin color, country of origin, or any other difference your mind points to, or says this person is not like me. Does everyone have to be like you to be accepted by you? Does everyone have to look like you, walk like you, talk like you to be approved by you?

When fear arises in you because of these differences, what do you do with that fear? I know the fear feels real to you, but do you need to be afraid? What if your fear was an indicator to take the time to get to understand and know, to see this person, their religion, or country on a deeper level, what would you find out? Would you find that perhaps at the core of their being, they are no different from you? Would you find that they want the same things for their children you want for yours? Would you find that they practice their religion for the same reason that you do? Would you find that many teachings in their faith are the same as yours? How would you figure this out unless you take the time to understand and know?

Sharing and feeling the burden and pain of others is genuine compassion.

It is time that our differences are no longer seen through our conditioning. We cannot allow our senses to be the guiding force of our reactions; we must respond appropriately from a place of understanding and knowing.

We must wake up and reach deeper to connect with our oneness, our sameness, and not just our differences. We must take time to understand and know what others are going through before we react from a place that does not reflect the truth of their experience. What would we find if we make this effort? Are we willing to try, or is it too hard? Would the world change if we did? Would we finally understand and know.

Making America Great Again with Compassion

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Whether you call yourself religious or not,  do not forget that compassion has no hierarchy of worthy and unworthy, and it makes no distinctions between the deserving and the undeserving. Wherever there is suffering, there is a need for compassion. We often forget this and instead spue hatred toward those in need. We are so busy protecting what we think is ours and ours alone that we cannot see the suffering of others. We are all here experiencing our humanness together, and we must support one another if we ever want to live in peace. Putting up imaginary walls to protect ourselves or a real one will not protect us, we only think it will. What happens instead is that we lose our humanity; our compassion and most of all our ability to see the truth.

Our Very Existence Depends on This

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As we remember those that we have lost on this holiday, it is equally important to remember those that are still here, human, animal, and plant and how we treat them. The mistreatment of other human beings, the planet and animals can be seen everywhere these days.

My heart is heavy now with those that I have lost in recent years, but today I mourn those that still live on this planet with me. I hope that each one of us will take a moment to let go of our pain, bias, misguided and conditioned thinking. To look deep within and connect with our hearts, the true spirit of our religious and spiritual teachings, and to let go of our conditioning long enough to see that we must widen our circle of compassion. We must awaken to the oneness of all things through that which connects us all.

“A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us.

Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. The true value of a human being is determined by the measure and the sense in which they have obtained liberation from the self.

We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive.”

~ Albert Einstein, 1954.

Right Action

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Short and Sweet #165 – What To Do When Treated Poorly

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Remember a time when you where upset, angry or not feeling well and you treated someone poorly. The next time you feel you are treated poorly, realize that they are doing the best that they can in that moment, just as you did. Know that every person who acts poorly towards you is suffering in some way. With this new understanding, release your own suffering in the moment, by being compassionate towards anyone you feel is hurting you.

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What’s on your mind? I am always open to questions and comments or for a healthy and supportive discussion about these topics.