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Viewpoint Development Process

On Generating Compassion
____________________Phase One / Stage One / Day Two___________________
5 The study and practice of compassion is the core of the spiritual path. It is the union of heart and Spirit without the differentiation of religion or philosophy. For some of us, beginning on the path, the ideal of self development, or self realization may not appear to be connected with compassion. We may instead desire to increase our sense of presence or our psychic powers. We may be fascinated with finding out who we were in past lives, or who our soul mates are in this life. We may desire a relationship with God or Spirit that does not connect to our relationships with others. We may desire the limitless knowledge of the Enlightened mind. We may purchase religious artifacts, spiritual pictures and cassettes and still have no real sense of what it means to be compassionate and loving toward others. From The Sutra of Correctly Comprehending Dharma, the Buddha instructs: Do not train yourself in many qualities when desiring to attain Enlightenment. Train yourself in one quality. What is it? It is compassion. The person with great compassion will possess all the enlightened qualities as in the palm of his hand. Jesus teaches us a similar message, when he speaks of charity that is separate from the mechanical act of giving. In the time of Jesus, it was common for spiritual seekers to practice public displays of alms giving, accompanied by fanfare and ceremony, as well as public display of " talking in tongues". It was common for men to mix magic with spirituality or to prophesy and proclaim the knowledge of all manner of mysteries. In many ways, it was not too different from currents trends toward often unprincipled and unqualified practices of past life regression, trance channeling, a psychic counseling. Jesus compassionately addresses these activities and clarifies for us what is and is not spirituality; Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, if I have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, beleiveth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.. I Corinthians, Chapter 13, Verse 1 through 7. In order to generate charity and compassion toward others, we must dissolve the barrier of indifference that separates us from others. We must ask ourselves honest questions concerning our lack of feeling for others. Perceiving and dissolving the petty, indifferent quality 1

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of our daily thoughts will allow space and energy for the growth of deep and abiding compassion. When you truly desire to be compassionate toward others, you invoke the beginning of your own transformation. You come out of your bubble of separation and experience brotherhood, sisterhood, and togetherness. Compassion literally means to suffer together. From the New World Dictionary, we are informed of the Latin definition " Com:, together + pati; to suffer. Sorrow for the sufferings or trouble of another or others, accompanied by an urge to help: deep sympathy: pity. " This compassion arises directly from the heart, not from the mind. It is a feeling that creates more understanding, rather than a thought that creates more knowledge. We naturally experience compassion for others when we see suffering directly, or hear of suffering, or read about the suffering of others, such as in the newspaper. This is a spontaneous compassion that is not difficult to feel. It is painful, and yet, it connects us to one another, and reaffirms our humanity. We may not know what to do with the compassion, we may not, for example, be able to physically reach out to someone in a war torn zone, or to the parents of a child who as been murdered, but we can and do suffer with them, and accept them into our hearts with a private tenderness that is part of Life's nurturing essence. This form of compassion allows us to easily extend beyond ourselves, and helps us make peace with our own suffering. A second aspect of compassion is that which is learned from the pressure of our own past or present suffering. This form of compassion is a ready resource for those who are experiencing pains that we have already experienced. A third aspect of compassion which is not so easily generated is that which goes beyond personal differences. For example, you may be irritated with others simply for being unlike yourself, and unknowingly invoke compassion to help understand their behavior. The fourth and most difficult form of compassion is that which requires mercy. If you feel deeply aggravated, or greatly violated by another the pain may infuriate and compel you, even desperately to call upon your inner resources of compassion and understanding. While these acts of inner mercy and compassion may be unseen by others, they are the greatest acts you can hope to accomplish. When you can express respect, compassion and charity toward other beings who are not capable of expressing the same to you, you are walking the noble path of awakening. The first step is in generating heartfelt desire, and the second step is in connecting the mind with the heart. We can clarify our desire for compassion with the following principles: Principles of Compassion: 1) I can accept people as they are. I believe that all people are valuable. I care when others are hurting. I desire only what is best for others.

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5) I must be careful not to cause others to defend or to offend them. 6) I need only to develop a true willingness to go the distance for someone in need or trouble. 5 7) I intend to create in myself an attitude of consideration and loving compassion for those in need. 10 8)I intend to create in myself an open and available state of mind to assist others both in practical and tangible ways. 9) I know that creating a personal concern to help others feel needed, valuable, and important in an increasingly impersonal society will make a difference. 15 It can be helpful to realize that compassion is a resource that is available to all of us, even in the midst of our judgment, confusion and distress. If we can accept the imperfection, confusion and distress of others, we can compassionately work with it, with both our hearts and minds. Rather than being bitter and hopeless that Life is not ideal, we can be inspired by the very degradation that surrounds us and compassionately move to uplift it. In this way we can develop ingenuity, skill, wisdom, and most importantly, the ability to love and to serve. If we can inspire within ourselves the desire to love and serve all creation, love and serve our Creator, love and serve others, and love and serve our higher nature, our compassion will be real, and properly motivated. Such compassion will naturally benefit ourselves and others, as well as create the ongoing growth of further compassion that we may not yet imagine. When you humbly desire to sacrifice disrespect, disdain, anger and indifference your heart essence will come to your aid, and will not disappoint you. When you call upon the power of compassion, your heart will gradually become suffused with empathy, and your mind will become inspired with ideas of service and healing. Compassion is the message of this prayer written by Saint Francis of Assisi: "Lord make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness light, And where there is sadness, joy. Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console. To be understood as to understand. To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive. And it is in pardoning that we are pardoned And it is in dying that we are born into eternal light."

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