Guest guest Posted April 23, 2002 Report Share Posted April 23, 2002 Dearest Friends, These words that i am sharing are from the writings my Beloved Robert. He says it so much more clearly than i ever could. So, here it is, "Compassion" - "Genuine compassion can arise when we come up against our own boundaries and perceived limitations: we wish to be loving, but find that we are not always so. We wish to be the manifestation of radiant light, but find that we are often groping in the darkness. We wish to share in the conversation of truth, but find instead our own fraudulence. However, instead of blaming ourselves, we can begin to see that that is what all of us are facing, and we can begin to have some true empathy for our mutual embodied condition. We see how challenging it is to be true. We idealize peace, but sometimes discover we've suppressed a lot of anger. We aspire to unconditional generosity of spirit, but then become aware of our reluctance to abandon certain deep-seated beliefs about the way things should be. Real compassion is about welcoming the discomfort of those feelings. It is not about being 'cool' so that those emotions go away. Compassion doesn't come from perfecting the act. It comes from recognizing the 'actor.' We look at ourselves and don't always like what we see. This is where the search begins - all over a simple case of mistaken identity. If we want to become truly free, we are going to get repeated opportunities to face this, and they are often going to come from relationship. Our ideas of purity are often just ways to avoid all of that messiness. When we begin to live in honest relationship, we give up trying to control outcomes and circumstances, and instead permit all of life to flow, unobstructed by our conditional beliefs, ideas, and assumptions about ourselves and others, until we recognize at last we are life Itself, and rest in this true Compassion. Then it is not a matter of what is seen or not, what is achieved or not - it becomes a matter of submitting to the humility of our own present heart, and allowing that exquisite music to fill the universe." Love, Mazie _______________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 24, 2002 Report Share Posted April 24, 2002 Lovely... Thanks for sharing with everyone... Compassion seems to be that rare gift that is bestowed upon one, just after they have stubbed their toe, have experienced suffering And then see someone less fortunate than themselves sprain an ankle or drop a heavy object on their foot. Right thinking and right hearted creatures (not just humans) will see this and feel their own pain again, and comfort the one who is recently injured. Many wise teachers have taught that we should be compassionate (Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, the Dalai Lama) and that from compassion springs forth genuine spiritual love. I do not disagree... But we must realize that such deep compassion arises only out of our own suffering, failings, yearnings, shortcomings and human condition...not from a superior nature, a divine specialness born of years of meditation or service to some well regarded teacher. We can all mimic compassion, but that is not the genuine article...ersatz compassion is often what we find when we view televangelists and insincere preachers...but true compassion is the small bird that risks its life for another endangered creature...when it recognizes a predator. Although we might think that a mother's deep love for her child would be the basis for compassion, I tend to disagree with this view. I think that the bond of a mother (or even a father) for their own child is to a great degree a matter of biological determinism, self interest and instinctive protectiveness. That is not to say that genuine "compassion" and love cannot be experienced for the child, a bit later in life--certainly it can! However, the deep feelings that new mothers have are really a surge of hormones, physical connection and animal protectiveness (I am not being critical...just a bit discerning). When a woman puts aside her own safety in order to save anothers child, then she has demonstrated compassion. It reminds me of the dilemna facing Solomon with the two women claiming the child as their own...and the woman willing to give up the child rather than having it divided in half by a sword stroke--well, Solomon guessed that she must have been the real mother. What if Solomon had been wrong???? LOL We all think we are compassionate--but we all have an eternity to go before we can understand the suffering of others...because we really only understand our own suffering directly...all else is surmize and guesswork. Until we have a bad case of Poison Ivy, we can feel sorry for those who say they suffer from the itching...but until we spend several sleepless nights in sheer agony with our own bad case...well...you get the idea! Love & hugs... Namaste... Zenbob (Unrepentently killing off nasty stinging weeds in the yard and walkways this very day!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 24, 2002 Report Share Posted April 24, 2002 I need to remove myself from this list serve for a few months as I will be gone. What do I need to do? Chas zen2wrk (AT) aol (DOT) com [zen2wrk (AT) aol (DOT) com]Wednesday, April 24, 2002 7:19 AMTo: Subject: Re: CompassionMazie: Lovely... Thanks for sharing with everyone... Compassion seems to be that rare gift that is bestowed upon one, just after they have stubbed their toe, have experienced suffering And then see someone less fortunate than themselves sprain an ankle or drop a heavy object on their foot. Right thinking and right hearted creatures (not just humans) will see this and feel their own pain again, and comfort the one who is recently injured. Many wise teachers have taught that we should be compassionate (Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, the Dalai Lama) and that from compassion springs forth genuine spiritual love. I do not disagree... But we must realize that such deep compassion arises only out of our own suffering, failings, yearnings, shortcomings and human condition...not from a superior nature, a divine specialness born of years of meditation or service to some well regarded teacher. We can all mimic compassion, but that is not the genuine article...ersatz compassion is often what we find when we view televangelists and insincere preachers...but true compassion is the small bird that risks its life for another endangered creature...when it recognizes a predator. Although we might think that a mother's deep love for her child would be the basis for compassion, I tend to disagree with this view. I think that the bond of a mother (or even a father) for their own child is to a great degree a matter of biological determinism, self interest and instinctive protectiveness. That is not to say that genuine "compassion" and love cannot be experienced for the child, a bit later in life--certainly it can! However, the deep feelings that new mothers have are really a surge of hormones, physical connection and animal protectiveness (I am not being critical...just a bit discerning). When a woman puts aside her own safety in order to save anothers child, then she has demonstrated compassion. It reminds me of the dilemna facing Solomon with the two women claiming the child as their own...and the woman willing to give up the child rather than having it divided in half by a sword stroke--well, Solomon guessed that she must have been the real mother. What if Solomon had been wrong???? LOL We all think we are compassionate--but we all have an eternity to go before we can understand the suffering of others...because we really only understand our own suffering directly...all else is surmize and guesswork. Until we have a bad case of Poison Ivy, we can feel sorry for those who say they suffer from the itching...but until we spend several sleepless nights in sheer agony with our own bad case...well...you get the idea! Love & hugs... Namaste... Zenbob (Unrepentently killing off nasty stinging weeds in the yard and walkways this very day!) /join All paths go somewhere. No path goes nowhere. Paths, places, sights, perceptions, and indeed all experiences arise from and exist in and subside back into the Space of Awareness. Like waves rising are not different than the ocean, all things arising from Awareness are of the nature of Awareness. Awareness does not come and go but is always Present. It is Home. Home is where the Heart Is. Jnanis know the Heart to be the Finality of Eternal Being. A true devotee relishes in the Truth of Self-Knowledge, spontaneously arising from within into It Self. Welcome all to a.Your use of is subject to the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 24, 2002 Report Share Posted April 24, 2002 Charles, I have put you on no mail. Harsha -----Original Message----- Charles Rush [ctrush (AT) bellatlantic (DOT) net] Wednesday, April 24, 2002 8:28 AM RE: Compassion I need to remove myself from this list serve for a few months as I will be gone. What do I need to do? Chas 12.0pt;margin-left:1.0in">-----Original Message----- zen2wrk (AT) aol (DOT) com [zen2wrk (AT) aol (DOT) com] Wednesday, April 24, 2002 7:19 AM Re: Compassion windowtext"> auto;margin-left:1.0in"> color:purple;font-style:italic">Mazie: Lovely... Thanks for sharing with everyone... Compassion seems to be that rare gift that is bestowed upon one, just after they have stubbed their toe, have experienced suffering And then see someone less fortunate than themselves sprain an ankle or drop a heavy object on their foot. Right thinking and right hearted creatures (not just humans) will see this and feel their own pain again, and comfort the one who is recently injured. Many wise teachers have taught that we should be compassionate (Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, the Dalai Lama) and that from compassion springs forth genuine spiritual love. I do not disagree... But we must realize that such deep compassion arises only out of our own suffering, failings, yearnings, shortcomings and human condition...not from a superior nature, a divine specialness born of years of meditation or service to some well regarded teacher. We can all mimic compassion, but that is not the genuine article...ersatz compassion is often what we find when we view televangelists and insincere preachers...but true compassion is the small bird that risks its life for another endangered creature...when it recognizes a predator. Although we might think that a mother's deep love for her child would be the basis for compassion, I tend to disagree with this view. I think that the bond of a mother (or even a father) for their own child is to a great degree a matter of biological determinism, self interest and instinctive protectiveness. That is not to say that genuine "compassion" and love cannot be experienced for the child, a bit later in life--certainly it can! However, the deep feelings that new mothers have are really a surge of hormones, physical connection and animal protectiveness (I am not being critical...just a bit discerning). When a woman puts aside her own safety in order to save anothers child, then she has demonstrated compassion. It reminds me of the dilemna facing Solomon with the two women claiming the child as their own...and the woman willing to give up the child rather than having it divided in half by a sword stroke--well, Solomon guessed that she must have been the real mother. What if Solomon had been wrong???? LOL We all think we are compassionate--but we all have an eternity to go before we can understand the suffering of others...because we really only understand our own suffering directly...all else is surmize and guesswork. Until we have a bad case of Poison Ivy, we can feel sorry for those who say they suffer from the itching...but until we spend several sleepless nights in sheer agony with our own bad case...well...you get the idea! Love & hugs... Namaste... Zenbob (Unrepentently killing off nasty stinging weeds in the yard and walkways this very day!) "Courier New";color:black">/join mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";color:black"> All paths go somewhere. No path goes nowhere. Paths, places, sights, perceptions, and indeed all experiences arise from and exist in and subside back into the Space of Awareness. Like waves rising are not different than the ocean, all things arising from Awareness are of the nature of Awareness. Awareness does not come and go but is always Present. It is Home. Home is where the Heart Is. Jnanis know the Heart to be the Finality of Eternal Being. A true devotee relishes in the Truth of Self-Knowledge, spontaneously arising from within into It Self. Welcome all to a. color:black"> "Courier New";color:black"> windowtext"> "Courier New";color:black">/join mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";color:black"> All paths go somewhere. No path goes nowhere. Paths, places, sights, perceptions, and indeed all experiences arise from and exist in and subside back into the Space of Awareness. Like waves rising are not different than the ocean, all things arising from Awareness are of the nature of Awareness. Awareness does not come and go but is always Present. It is Home. Home is where the Heart Is. Jnanis know the Heart to be the Finality of Eternal Being. A true devotee relishes in the Truth of Self-Knowledge, spontaneously arising from within into It Self. Welcome all to a. "Courier New";color:black"> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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