Compassion - A Lifestyle

06.01.2010 11:46

Compassion is a rarely used concept in western cultures. Native Americans and Eastern faiths practice compassion as a way of life versus invoking compassion as it is deemed appropriate to apply at the moment.

Before the invasion of their homeland, Native Americans practiced compassion for all living things, plants, animals, creatures, birds, fish, wind, rain, snow and sleet, Mother Earth, Father Son and Grandmother Moon. Today Native Americans struggle to hold onto their lifestyle, including language and the meager land the invaders allotted to them.

The Dalai Lama promotes a practice called, generating compassion, bodhichitta. It is part of spiritual practice to choose compassion versus power over and practicing compassion versus invoking compassion as the situation deems.

Pema Chodron (aka Deirdre Blomfield-Brown) an ordained Buddhist nun in Tibetan Vajrayana tradition is a teacher in the linage of Chogyam Trungpa. Her goal is achieving the ability to apply Buddhist teachings in everyday life. She explains her belief on compassion, thusly, "In order to have compassion for others, we have to have compassion for ourselves. In particular, to care about other people who are fearful, angry, jealous, overpowered by addictions of all kinds, arrogant, proud, miserly, selfish, mean- you name it- to have compassion and to care for these people, means not to run from the pain of finding these things in ourselves."

Everyone invokes compassion when someone is hurt or sick. But, generally when someone learns about something that is unfair, more often than not, the majority of western cultures react with anger, resentment, retaliation and seek revenge.

Instead of hurt, anger, resentment and seeking revenge you can choose to generate compassion. You can choose compassion in spite of not understanding the complete story, or even though you do not agree with the situation. You can generate compassion that is beyond understanding and beyond reason.

When you come from a place of compassion you come from a heart that welcomes each person as you would want to be welcomed. You provide a safe place inside yourself for your soul to make its home. As Pema Chodron eloquently stated, 'In order to have compassion for others, we have to have compassion for ourselves. Show yourself compassion, and share your compassion with others.

I invite you to generate compassion in your life as you go through your day.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, Life Coach - Certified Hypnosis and Regression Practitioner, Author and Speaker. Dr. Dorothy facilitates clearing the blocks, fears and limiting beliefs, then, you can live the life you desire. She brings awareness to concepts not typically obvious to one's daily thoughts and feelings. http://www.drdorothy.net

Dorothy_M._Neddermeyer,_PhD