It’s been a while since I shared an inspirational article, here’s one I truly enjoy, I hope you find it mind opening too.
The heart of Compassion,
The question of Compassion often arises during sessions. It is a kind of throwaway term. It means something like ‘be’ very, very nice to someone to show that you are pious and kind hearted as long as they are doing something that you can relate to. This is of course the cynical version of compassion. For this exploration I will delve into the cynicism and naturally also the true expression of compassion from the perspective of Light.
The question of what I call “true compassion” arises, when faced with situations where there is someone doing something that I may not approve of, yet I am faced with the opportunity to give to them.
I will give you an example of this:
I was walking through New York city and there was a man who had his hand out, he had made a list of priorities that he would spend his begging money on. On the top of the list were drugs, next alcohol, followed by prostitution and then food…well the list went on for six more priorities. I stood there and examined his list. Knowing myself the way I do, I celebrate that I personally do not relate to drug addiction or alcohol dependency and I do not personally have any relationship to prostitution but the question was not whether I liked the list or not, but rather would I give to him knowing his revealed faults? His list questioned my level of compassion, silently I inquired as to my integrity around giving. Within every priority that he wrote, I saw the hidden questions written there for my ‘true’ exploration.
Now this presented a challenge! I stood there and examined his list. Knowing myself the way I do, I celebrate that I personally do not relate to drug addiction or alcohol dependancy and I do not personally have any relationship to prostitution. The question however,was not whether I liked the list or not, but rather would I give to him knowing his revealed value system that was far from mine? His list questioned my level of compassion, silently I inquired as to my integrity around giving. Within every priority that he wrote, I saw the hidden questions written there for my ‘true’ exploration.
“Regardless of whether I liked what he did with the money, would I still consider giving to him?”
Would I ‘give’ simply out of compassion regardless of his addictions?”
“Can I see his true Spirit nature, through his flaws and the illusion of his life, or do I judge him as a dirty human who should get a job?”
I was drawn in by his desire to be transparent and his willingness to expose himself shamelessly in this fashion. He was a ‘kind of’ billboard, for all of humanity to witness. After a short time, I noticed that he was not even remotely interested in me and my world and this too compelled me as I realised he was not trying to make me like him. He was in his space and there was a pristine honesty about this. I gently reached into my pocket and deposited some loose coinage that I had put there for just this kind of situation. He did not say thank you or acknowledge me in anyway. All this was thought provoking for me, as I had been taught to say thank you and acknowledge kind acts bestowed on me by another. He did none of that, therefore I was left in my own thoughts.
I was left with questions indelibly imprinted on me that I have since explored for many years…
What is giving, what is true compassion?
If the recipient does not do what we want with our offerings and gifts, then what is our recourse?
If there is no gratitude for the offerings, for example a simple ‘thank you’ then is that person ‘not’ worth giving to?
Do I offer giving and compassion as a demonstration of my ego or is there a higher agenda that is ever expanding and transformational in compassion?
Does giving with your mind, (politically, societally, religiously) look differently to true compassionate giving?
Fundamentally my world does not relate to the beggars world nor the prostitutes world and for that and so many other reasons I am grateful. Regardless they demonstrated my weakness, my judgements and my presuppositions regarding humanity, giving and compassion.
I have thought about the New York beggar over the years and have even considered that he had a great marketing mind and may have been an ex-ad man as his ‘schtick’ pulled me in and gave me something to consider. Instead I have grown from my encounter with him.
I recall that there was a biblical story of Jesus meeting a prostitute and he did not judge her but rather held out the hand of compassion for her. Naturally there are great stories such as this, in all great religions and philosophies. This is because the human-being aspires to get to this point of open hearted non-judgement and in this way become a vessel of compassion. Personally these stories have held me in good stead as occasionally I have had prostitutes and addicts as clients of mine. Was there true compassion for them or was there selective compassion, and did I arrogantly demand that they stop what they did and live a life that I believed was suitable?
I assure you that there is no selective compassion for these dear souls but rather an open hearted connection to their higher self.
Regardless I acknowledge that selective compassion is much easier for us mere humans when ‘they’ are doing exactly what we want ‘them’ to do. If ’they’ have the same political views, social ideals or religious persuasion then we can ‘give’ until the cows come home, otherwise we are challenged and we judge – giving and compassion then becomes difficult, if not impossible. So the question is, is this true compassion and true giving?
We are not all meant to be the same. We are all here to explore and grow and if we are in a Spiritual practice remember who we truly ARE or truly ”BE”…, therefore from our Highest Self we may not agree with the person we are feeling compassion for or giving to.
True Compassion is something that genuinely occurs as you deepen and widen into your own True Nature.
As we connect to our Highest Self we notice that we may become more intuitive and find ourselves helpers or healers in our daily lives, as our own true self emergies. We notice that a moral compass is exposed where there were once rules and laws. The once act of giving or ‘doing’ compassion makes way for a true act of compassion and giving. We are no longer acting out ‘giving and compassion’ through the ego but through the True connection to Spirit.
Compassion has a direct relationship to waking up or enlightenment. This is simply because when we wake up to our True nature we are naturally connected through the Spirit consciousness to other people and to all of life.
Compassion occurs once ‘we’ see our everlasting nature. It happens when ‘we’ know, and ‘we’ are certain, beyond a doubt, that ‘we’ are more than ‘we’ thought we were. That ‘we’ are Light ever lasting and that ‘we’ are all profound and unquestionable Love. This self realization causes us to see the expansive nature in all humanity and we therefore relate to all BEings lovingly and compassionately.
In this ever expanding space we discover that there is a ‘code of conduct’,a way in which we can no longer act and conversely a way we are compelled to ”BE”. Our awakening causes us to enliven our old views and step joyfully into a larger space of integrity and expanded limitless love. This is, paradoxically, a Spiritual morality beyond laws of morality.
I have been enriched by the beggar man in New York and have smiled at his great teaching for me. He lives with me in my thoughts regardless, as a reminder of giving, he served me in facilitating much deep thought over the years, and so I guess he earned his keep that night!
I now look at street people in Sydney and ask for nothing from them. I stand in gratitude that I am able to explore my authentic connection to Spirit, as I witness my judgements, presuppositions and compassion towards them, they have taught me well.
In Gratitude and in Light and Love,
Sanna
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, somehow I feel I look uglier than before *cries* maybe it’s the hair I don’t know… )
, okay, really!!)
