There are two different types of compassion. There is actual compassion, direct compassion, absolute compassion. Then there is the other kind of compassion that Mr. Gurdjieff calls “idiot compassion,” which is compassion with neurosis, a slimy way of trying to fulfill your desire secretly. This is your aim, but you give the appearance of being generous and impersonal.
Absolute compassion is seeing the situation as it is, directly and thoroughly. If you have to be tough, you just do it. In other words, idiot compassion contains a sort of opium—constantly trying to be good and kind—and absolute compassion is more literal, more discriminating, and more definite. You are willing to hurt somebody, even though you do not want to hurt that person; but in order to wake them up. From Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, Life of Naropa Seminar
When I was in school at Naropa University, my teacher gave the example of coming across a person with a venomous snake bite.
Would you stand there and say “ Oh I am so sorry, poor you”, an example of idiot compassion or would you take a knife and cut out the venom, absolute compassion. It is going to hurt.
“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can to great things.” Mother Teresa
There is the absolute lack of compassion of any kind at this point in aspects of our political landscape deplorable. The people who are in control at this moment in time are obsessed with keeping it and lording it over other people.
When there is no love and everything is motivated by hate, it won’t last, it will crumble in a desperate way.
Plenty of innocent people will suffer needlessly because we are slow as molasses in getting this lesson. As humans, we lack perspective, which comes at the price of time and struggle.
“I’ll keep searching for you.” Jay Reatard
We do not have a strong sense of self development so we have a hard time finding a middle way.
We do not have an experience in the middle, toeing the line, between extremes, holding our ground. This takes a lot of practice and a lot of tolerating uncomfortable emotions.
Time teaches us how to sustain the ups and downs and not get so upset and so swayed.
How much time do we have left?
What if we do not get the message until it is too late? These are my worries.
We always get another chance, even if we do not understand that right now. The long game, the one that goes beyond our comprehension of time.
An act of daily strength is to find the joy. Daily joy. A smile, a laugh, a connection with others is where we build our resilience.
I think the times are changing in a very literal boots on the ground way. I think what is changing most is that different types of people are moving into the center. Women, people of color, LGBT +, are going to come up here and take leadership roles. Let’s face it, a good majority of the younger population is made up of the like. So let them lead us.. We have not done well with the type of leadership that we have had to date, generally speaking.
Try this experiment and research the people that are making sense and talking clearly and ask yourself what do they look like?
I am wondering about the death of a time when a certain type of person ruled. IS that what is happening now? Can it be that simple and that awful? What would it take to let go of the resistance in us and just let it happen? I keep thinking if we can turn our energy away from the fools clowning in our faces and give our energy to this new thing growing; the new ideas, new strategies and new tactics. Will that work?
“Baby, sweet baby. Oh, Tangerines and persimmons and sugarcane, grapes and honeydew melon enough fit for a queen. Lemon trees don’t make a sound.” Lucinda Williams
Feel this in your body, do not just meet it with your mind. Is there truth here?
True compassion is birthed in your heart, it meets your mind and joins with your will , your trust and it goes out into the world to make change.
Comments are closed.