Monday, July 2, 2018

Learning to be Compassionate ... When You Don't Want to Be



I spent the morning trying to understand why I find a few people in my life so particularly challenging.  Okay, really I find them awful.  Annoying.  Mean. Selfish.  My list could go on.

After years of studying Buddhism, I am well-versed in the idea of compassion.  But sometimes I just can't muster it.  Some people, I really just want to push into traffic.  
But since this is not how I want to live, I have been feeling this great urge to come to terms with people I really don't like.

First, I sorted these people into three groups.
The takers. Some people take.  They need things to feel good.  They have to keep taking because when they stop, the lose what they have.
The manipulators. Some people manipulate.  They need other people’s energy to feel good.  Instead of changing themselves they want everyone to give them their positive energy through approval or fear.  
The closed offs. Some people are closed.  They may not draw energy but they won't lose it.

But I realized inside each person is a soul.
Every soul wants to offer their gifts to humanity.  
Every soul wants to be vibrant.  
Every soul wants to live a life of ease and abundance and joy.

But takers, manipulators and closed offs are blocked.  
Their souls do not want to be stuck behind the block! They want to be free!
This is really a life of pain for that soul.

Thinking of it this was is the path forward for me.
To have compassion for that soul and the block (even if you don’t know what it is!)  
To hold space for their awakening.

To look deep inside at the soul in pain and send it my love and energy.

I come back to this story each and every time I feel myself lacking compassion!
Hopefully it will help you to, as well!

No comments:

Post a Comment