Struggling for compassion...

Hey

Here's what I have been working on...

Thinking about power brought me to some observations.

The opposite of power is compassion. The purpose of power is the creation of the self. The little self thinks that it is increased by having power over others. The expansion of the true self is to see the connection with all others, and to be connected to all others is the road to enlightenment.

The pursuit of compassion then is so much more than the pursuit of power. And since I think I have had and used a little power in my day, I can tell you that having power is a whole lot easier than having compassion.

I say that to train in power is to train in the understanding of human need and to learn how to use those needs of others to your benefit.

They (the masters of virtue and compassion) say that to train in compassion starts with the four preliminaries.

They sit on a card on my desk at home. I read them everyday. I don't think I have ever wanted to understand them more than I do today. So I offer them to you.

Feel free to post your thoughts.

Les


In your daily life try to ...
1 . Maintain an awareness of the preciousness of human life.
2. Be aware of the reality that life ends: death comes to everyone.
3. Recall that whatever you do whether virtuous or not has a result; what goes around comes around.
4. Contemplate that as long as you are too focused on self-importance and too caught up in thinking about how good or bad you are, you will suffer. Obsessing about what you want and avoiding what you don't want does not result in happiness.

Pema Chodron
Tibetan Buddhist Monk and Writer.

More....

Sorry everyone....

I have been delinquent lately.

Caught up in power dynamics of all things...:) Very distracting from doing the things you want.

Have been focused on trying to implement strategies of compassion rather than power. However the strategies are hard to create. Everyone I talk to says - "Use power" - "Be tough." "Let 'em have it." But I know power and I know in the end it will only hurt me.

I am trying hard to find a way that I can actually use my awareness of their needs to help them. That uis the thing I should figure out and write a book about.

"How to exit power dynmaics with techniques of compassion."

I am coming to the conclusion that sometimes there is no willingness to accept compassion from someone you see as an enemy.

Like the Tao says - there is nothing worse than having an enemy. To have an enemy is to be an enemy.

They see me as an enemy. Don't think I can change that.

Now the question is - can I use power to create a stalemate or do I actually have to use power to the end of this dynamic. I already know it will never end.

Not sure what the lesson is.

Ahhhh - sorry just venting....

Anyway I haven't forgotten about you or this work so I will try to get back at it soon.

Thanks for your patience.