I believe in compassionate happenstance! Those unplanned sightings that spur us on, those stories, lectures, movies, songs, videos that seem to be directed to our needs, an energy flow that provides a restorative underscore to an otherwise difficult time. To me, this is compassion, let loose in the universe: our view of God as an active partner. These moments or prompts come regularly, whether we note them or not, and sometime we're driven somewhere new in our consciousness. This morning, I received one of those prompts, posted by a friend on Facebook.
Lafrae described not being able to get to a family member's funeral because of weather issues. This video prayer (my name for it) was her personal response. It struck me that she not only found a physical solution for grief, it was also a mind over matter. Snow wouldn't stop the Love. It also rings so beautiful to think about the human connection to what we call prayer and how it can take many forms.
Responding to our faith, calling out to our Holy One, syncing up with our own inner workings to communicate: prayer is asking, wondering, processing and healing. Prayer is tied up in wellness.
This video was a meditation for LaFrae. Turns out, it was a meditation for me, too. And probably for many others. The action, the filming of it, the intention behind it, the recorded vocal track, speaking a familiar prayer - all of this came together for a unique, holy timeout for interpretation and reflection.
vprayer. Like email, but cooler. (grin). Like itunes for the Spirit. I'm hoping to try one of these myself, although I won't be working out in the snow. Drinking hot chocolate maybe! It seems that prayer is realized through the imagination, a dynamic human tool that shapes our yearnings, the magic place where the mystery of faith is crystal clear, where we can talk to God. Such a conversation we can have these days, with art, media, photographs, physical exercise, music, dance - a never-ending array of personal expressions that connect us to our Creator. Allowing ourselves to be Creative is the kind of self-compassion that motivates our own spirits, let loose in the universe. Making prayer of all kinds is compassionate response.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
The Charter for Compassion
Charter for Compassion
Good evening!
For those of you who are not familiar with the Charter for Compassion, or even for those who are, the video of the charter being read is quite compelling. Take a look, think it through, wonder about humanity and what you could do to make the Charter active in your life. Share your ideas!!!!
Good evening!
For those of you who are not familiar with the Charter for Compassion, or even for those who are, the video of the charter being read is quite compelling. Take a look, think it through, wonder about humanity and what you could do to make the Charter active in your life. Share your ideas!!!!
Saturday, January 12, 2013
The Passion of Being in Common
Just when I think I know more than than I do, I'm knocked down to my humble beginnings: a curious, creative child with more questions than answers and a flare for the fanciful. Oh, how grateful I am that I'm still invited back to my innocence. In reality, I probably know more than I think I know (grin), but I love to learn things again and again, like a favorite picture book or a well-worn sweatshirt. Each time, I hope to take away something fresh, to consume the knowledge more carefully, to embrace it more fully. The things I know best, I know in my bones: my faith skeleton. The rest flies by. I grab what I can, thanking God for it in the rush.
A couple years ago, a book was recommended to me by an Episcopal Sister who I had the pleasure to meet during EfM (Education for Ministry). The members of the group took turns leading prayers to start our sessions together. Several offerings came from the collection, "God has no Religion," about blending traditions for prayer, by Francis Sheridan Goulart. I fell in love with the book.
Perhaps because I spent many years in the classroom as a teaching artist, using a vast array of photos, poems, music, props, books, paintings and more, I have a deep need for options (grin). Many things inspire me. Many things touch my heart, open my eyes, expand my vision. There is profound benefit to an eclectic approach when exploring challenging ideas. Access to multiple perspectives is likely to deepen one's understanding, reveal more layers of meaning, even broaden personal backgrounds. Children are often the truest responders. Typically, they will pick their favorites without dismissing other ideas. A variety of opinions is okay. In drama, students could show multiple conclusions in small group work, creative compromise in whole group time and honest assessment in reflection. More than one thing can be true for a child. There can be different ends to a story. Maybe that's why my inner child has a standing invitation as my spirit takes nourishment.
What we know, how we gather it, our wildly diverse frames of reference, our individual "faith skeletons," these are some of the ways we differ. Beautiful differences, these. Even more engaging: the ways we're similar. How fascinating it is to find the places where our paths cross. How painfully beautiful it can be when sorrow bonds us. I imagine a bright energy that streams through our collective Soul*ar System, giving each and every human a share of the Truth, through our own unique filters. What a brilliant way to have us learn from each other! My naming convention: God.
Compassion is a joining force, a Holy tool for the whole family of Truth. If we're all hunting and gathering, best to have a passion for being in common: an active acknowledgement of the other. Love is the way we get anywhere and it manifests in oh-so-many different ways. Treating people compassionately is the quintessential manifestation of Love. It reminds us that, even with our multitude of differences, we always have something in common.
I stand behind the notion that God has no religion, although it seems completely right that human beings crave knowledge, seek answers, look to like minds for solace; as long as we remember that unlike minds, vastly different experiences, and seemingly opposite interpretations need not divide us. Rather, these things can grow us and enrich our yearning for a clear vision of our share of the Truth.
A couple years ago, a book was recommended to me by an Episcopal Sister who I had the pleasure to meet during EfM (Education for Ministry). The members of the group took turns leading prayers to start our sessions together. Several offerings came from the collection, "God has no Religion," about blending traditions for prayer, by Francis Sheridan Goulart. I fell in love with the book.
Perhaps because I spent many years in the classroom as a teaching artist, using a vast array of photos, poems, music, props, books, paintings and more, I have a deep need for options (grin). Many things inspire me. Many things touch my heart, open my eyes, expand my vision. There is profound benefit to an eclectic approach when exploring challenging ideas. Access to multiple perspectives is likely to deepen one's understanding, reveal more layers of meaning, even broaden personal backgrounds. Children are often the truest responders. Typically, they will pick their favorites without dismissing other ideas. A variety of opinions is okay. In drama, students could show multiple conclusions in small group work, creative compromise in whole group time and honest assessment in reflection. More than one thing can be true for a child. There can be different ends to a story. Maybe that's why my inner child has a standing invitation as my spirit takes nourishment.
What we know, how we gather it, our wildly diverse frames of reference, our individual "faith skeletons," these are some of the ways we differ. Beautiful differences, these. Even more engaging: the ways we're similar. How fascinating it is to find the places where our paths cross. How painfully beautiful it can be when sorrow bonds us. I imagine a bright energy that streams through our collective Soul*ar System, giving each and every human a share of the Truth, through our own unique filters. What a brilliant way to have us learn from each other! My naming convention: God.
Compassion is a joining force, a Holy tool for the whole family of Truth. If we're all hunting and gathering, best to have a passion for being in common: an active acknowledgement of the other. Love is the way we get anywhere and it manifests in oh-so-many different ways. Treating people compassionately is the quintessential manifestation of Love. It reminds us that, even with our multitude of differences, we always have something in common.
I stand behind the notion that God has no religion, although it seems completely right that human beings crave knowledge, seek answers, look to like minds for solace; as long as we remember that unlike minds, vastly different experiences, and seemingly opposite interpretations need not divide us. Rather, these things can grow us and enrich our yearning for a clear vision of our share of the Truth.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Naming & Defining
Hello!
As we begin to explore the notion of compassion and the source of Love, some important language clarifications will be of great support. As is true for each person that posts to this blog, we speak from our own, unique perspective. So what I share is my choice. What another shares, her choice. Hopefully in time, we can agree to a common language. So here we go.
Compassion to me is a state of being in empathy with others, of being open to how others feel, so much so that one is moved to action. Compassion isn't pity. It's not feeling sorry for someone else; rather, it's feeling presence with another. It is, perhaps, the state of being kind and understanding other perspectives. It is the choice to treat others the way we wish to be treated. It is the passion of being in common. What do you think?
It was an intentional choice not to name the Divine in the first post. Certainly, there are many names for the Holy. Different religions, different handles. The Source of Love - the ultimate form of caring, commitment and respect, the holiest of Holy, may be more common than we choose to embrace. When I refer to Love, I mean God. This is the name for the Divine that I relate to from my background. I'm a cradle Episcopalian. However, I'm in to the many ways the Divine is expressed. And I don't feel there is only one answer (or name). I do believe we speak of the same Power! Our faith traditions grow from stories that define our understanding of the Holy. That doesn't make other understandings wrong.
So - in my blog entries, I will often refer to God. Please know, though, that my naming does not trump yours (grin). It is the common ground where the holiest experiences form, where new stories help us evolve into what God hopes for us. The Love: our common Passion!
As we begin to explore the notion of compassion and the source of Love, some important language clarifications will be of great support. As is true for each person that posts to this blog, we speak from our own, unique perspective. So what I share is my choice. What another shares, her choice. Hopefully in time, we can agree to a common language. So here we go.
Compassion to me is a state of being in empathy with others, of being open to how others feel, so much so that one is moved to action. Compassion isn't pity. It's not feeling sorry for someone else; rather, it's feeling presence with another. It is, perhaps, the state of being kind and understanding other perspectives. It is the choice to treat others the way we wish to be treated. It is the passion of being in common. What do you think?
It was an intentional choice not to name the Divine in the first post. Certainly, there are many names for the Holy. Different religions, different handles. The Source of Love - the ultimate form of caring, commitment and respect, the holiest of Holy, may be more common than we choose to embrace. When I refer to Love, I mean God. This is the name for the Divine that I relate to from my background. I'm a cradle Episcopalian. However, I'm in to the many ways the Divine is expressed. And I don't feel there is only one answer (or name). I do believe we speak of the same Power! Our faith traditions grow from stories that define our understanding of the Holy. That doesn't make other understandings wrong.
So - in my blog entries, I will often refer to God. Please know, though, that my naming does not trump yours (grin). It is the common ground where the holiest experiences form, where new stories help us evolve into what God hopes for us. The Love: our common Passion!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Welcome to The Compassionary
Happy Hello to all! Welcome. This is The Compassionary, a new blog to kick off a new year, to encourage a new focus and to celebrate a diverse array of voices from the universal roots of spirituality: what we share, not what divides us. From our conversation, ideas will materialize. From clearly-articulated ideas, actions in our own communities. We're building a community capacity for Love.
Two years ago, I came into contact with the writings of Karen Armstrong. I started with "The Case for God" and was hungry for more. In my research, I found details about the TED prize, won by Armstrong, and the Charter for Compassion: her healing wish for a broken world. The Charter moved me, intrigued me. It seemed so simple, yet some how out of reach. I picked up Armstrong's newest book, the inspirational "Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life," sort of a manual on how to refocus and retool. I was moved to action. Follow the link below for more details.
http://www.amazon.com/TWELVE-COMPASSIONATE-Armstrong-Compassionate-Hardcover/dp/B004HJHY9K/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1357059332&sr=8-4&keywords=twelve+steps+to+a+compassionate+life+by+karen+armstrong
Much of the information was familiar: intuitive steps that I had under my belt, or so I thought, and historical context for how humanity (through our life stories) already had what it was looking for, or so IT thought. I'll tell you, though, the whole thing consumed my thoughts, prayers, hopes, actions... so I gave my new philosophical crush a name: The Compassioning Project. It was a personal commitment project. I was the founder. I listed it on my Facebook page (grin). I read, prayed, changed jobs, struggled with things I had done my best to avoid before. My relationships with people of other faith traditions were strengthening, my awareness of the beautiful works exhibited by those without faith traditions stood out. I came to a crystal clear awareness that this movement toward a more compassionate life, a deeper purpose, had been in the works in me for years! Good grief! Or maybe, Eureka! My life was forever changed by what I like to call a series of epiphalectic moments: my capacity for what I wanted was already installed. It just hadn't been fully accessed. Maybe full access was more than coffee bean prayers, church membership or reading lists (even though I was steeped in each of these things.) Maybe others were feeling the same thing. I started with myself.
Today, this yearning is about living what rings most important, not just to myself, but to all of us - the largest possible version of family - the human family. Truth comes in open conversation, in living the Love (turns out it wasn't just a philosophical crush), in finding the Holy in each and every person. It comes from these revelations made active!
These are compassionary times, full of epiphalectic moments. Perhaps our conversation will grow our collective frame of reference. Each week, I'll write from my experience, sharing some ideas, perhaps a prompt or two for prayers and meditations. You are invited to contribute as well!!! How have you experienced compassion in your own life, given to you or given from you? How did these events build your capacity for Love? What have been some of your epiphalectic moments?
My plan is to invite family and close friends to get us started. I'll ask others to post blog entries twice a week. We should have new stuff to read every other day. Anyone reading the blog who would like to submit a story to post, please do. Send them to thecompassionary@gmail.com. Please include the best ways to get in touch with you. Hopefully the conversation will enrich all of us to the next steps: building compassionate actions in our local communities, modeling kindness and the golden rule. This blog is to stimulate TALK that can and will be WALKED!
Thanks for reading.
Shalom.
Jean
Two years ago, I came into contact with the writings of Karen Armstrong. I started with "The Case for God" and was hungry for more. In my research, I found details about the TED prize, won by Armstrong, and the Charter for Compassion: her healing wish for a broken world. The Charter moved me, intrigued me. It seemed so simple, yet some how out of reach. I picked up Armstrong's newest book, the inspirational "Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life," sort of a manual on how to refocus and retool. I was moved to action. Follow the link below for more details.
http://www.amazon.com/TWELVE-COMPASSIONATE-Armstrong-Compassionate-Hardcover/dp/B004HJHY9K/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1357059332&sr=8-4&keywords=twelve+steps+to+a+compassionate+life+by+karen+armstrong
Much of the information was familiar: intuitive steps that I had under my belt, or so I thought, and historical context for how humanity (through our life stories) already had what it was looking for, or so IT thought. I'll tell you, though, the whole thing consumed my thoughts, prayers, hopes, actions... so I gave my new philosophical crush a name: The Compassioning Project. It was a personal commitment project. I was the founder. I listed it on my Facebook page (grin). I read, prayed, changed jobs, struggled with things I had done my best to avoid before. My relationships with people of other faith traditions were strengthening, my awareness of the beautiful works exhibited by those without faith traditions stood out. I came to a crystal clear awareness that this movement toward a more compassionate life, a deeper purpose, had been in the works in me for years! Good grief! Or maybe, Eureka! My life was forever changed by what I like to call a series of epiphalectic moments: my capacity for what I wanted was already installed. It just hadn't been fully accessed. Maybe full access was more than coffee bean prayers, church membership or reading lists (even though I was steeped in each of these things.) Maybe others were feeling the same thing. I started with myself.
Today, this yearning is about living what rings most important, not just to myself, but to all of us - the largest possible version of family - the human family. Truth comes in open conversation, in living the Love (turns out it wasn't just a philosophical crush), in finding the Holy in each and every person. It comes from these revelations made active!
These are compassionary times, full of epiphalectic moments. Perhaps our conversation will grow our collective frame of reference. Each week, I'll write from my experience, sharing some ideas, perhaps a prompt or two for prayers and meditations. You are invited to contribute as well!!! How have you experienced compassion in your own life, given to you or given from you? How did these events build your capacity for Love? What have been some of your epiphalectic moments?
My plan is to invite family and close friends to get us started. I'll ask others to post blog entries twice a week. We should have new stuff to read every other day. Anyone reading the blog who would like to submit a story to post, please do. Send them to thecompassionary@gmail.com. Please include the best ways to get in touch with you. Hopefully the conversation will enrich all of us to the next steps: building compassionate actions in our local communities, modeling kindness and the golden rule. This blog is to stimulate TALK that can and will be WALKED!
Thanks for reading.
Shalom.
Jean
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