The [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Bhagavad] Gītā begins with a question that speaks to every one of us: “How are we to act in this world full of conflict and suffering?” The Gītā’s answer is simply to act out of love. This hidden song of the divinity calls souls to act out of love in all that they do, in all that they think, feel, and will. The Gītā insists that human life is meant for hearing this innermost song of the heart. It behooves souls to search for this song, and upon hearing it, to listen to the divine love song as it resonates in everything, everywhere, and at every moment – to hear it through the hearts of all beings and in all of life. Once heard, this secret love song is celebrated as the most blessed gift of divinity to humankind.
-Graham M. Schweig’s notes on The Bhagavad Gītā
We have all been waking up to some troubling worldwide circumstances in the last couple of weeks and months. This can be the case on a day by day basis as we turn on the news or open the paper to peruse what dangers the media is currently reporting, and what is going on across the nation and globe.
Regardless of the day and however terrifying the incident, it is no shock to anyone that people feel divided, hurt, and misunderstood. It is not us and them; we can all relate to this on some level.
A natural reaction to uncertainty and opposition is to defend oneself in some way to ensure a point of view is seen and heard. Unfortunately the actions taken to do so can include unnecessary violence and extremely extreme measures, affecting not only those involved but the world at large.
And so as we awake to horrifying video footage of lives being taken before our eyes, we are forced to wake up, mind body and planet.
Of course our reactions encompass many forms of anger, frustration, sadness, emptiness, rage. This is not wrong or unwarranted, but what will our ACTIONS be?
Aside from race, sex, religion, economic class, beliefs – how will we choose to move forward based on what we really want, which ultimately boils down to some essence of peace [whether within ourselves or for the world] and feeling understood?
To me, compassion in action means fighting for peace without resorting to fighting each other. It is up to us as individuals how we choose to fight, and how we choose to use our energy in this lifetime.
This does not mean we have to agree with those who cause harm or suffering. But if we keep feeding heated misunderstandings between two feuding sides, how will anyone ever come to a decent agreement? If people are continually deprived of compassion, how will they know anything else besides what they have experienced or have been taught?
Being a compassionate person does not mean we have to like people or politicians we strongly oppose. But if what we want is intelligent, thoughtful relationships within and among our citizens and leaders, how can we expect it to come into fruition if we ourselves have waged a personal war against them?
We do not have to be nice and perfectly Disney Princess compassionate at all times. But we can make a decision on how we let things digest before we take action in accordance with our own values instead of reacting out of rage and fueling the furnace of us versus them.
Deepak Chopra’s recent article on peace, which I coincidentally came across after beginning to write this post, suggests we “be aware of everyone’s right to have peace. When you find yourself reacting with a knee-jerk response against a certain person, group, faith, ethnicity, or belief system, remind yourself that you can hold a different viewpoint while still wishing peace for all concerned.”
The Yoga Sutras teach that there are two kinds of thoughts: painful or painless. These thought waves are categorized into five types, one of which is incorrect knowledge. When we perceive others as very different from ourselves without carefully considering or being open to correct knowledge, even if our underlying layers have a lot in common, we might rightfully be fearful, anxious, and defensive.
Acting from a place of compassion in this case means putting aside perceptions, looking at a person or situation with correct knowledge, then considering our truth and acting from a clear head and heart.
Deepak advises that “At the deepest level, there is infinite peace, undisturbed by the play of opposites and the clash of darkness versus light.”
What we are often blinded by because of our fear of opposition is that which we all crave: to be heard, understood, supported, loved. If we contemplate this, we might recognize a connection between our desires, even if the actions taken to meet these desires are at far ends of the spectrum. The actions we take to make our desires a reality are up to us as individuals and a collective team.
Chopra’s article continues, “…any time you witness or confront a situation that needs a peaceful resolution, ask inside that the way to peace be opened for everyone. Sit quietly with this intention for a few moments, letting your heart go out to those not at peace.”
When discussing recent happenings with a colleague, he insisted that people must be willing to resort to violence to some extent because words have yet to be proven powerful enough to spark change. Although I see his point, I truly believe that if we wholeheartedly desire to shift perspectives and unfortunate acts of massive violence, we can choose to be a light within that darkness, however small.
So how do we in fact practice compassion against those who do so much wrong? We focus our energy toward those who can guide us in a more compassionate direction, and act accordingly toward ourselves and others.
Before taking action as we move forward, because life inevitably does go on regardless of tragedies and triumphs, we can ask ourselves Rumi’s questions from his Three Gates of Speech:
Is it true? Is this coming from a place of what we actually believe deep down, or is it an unclear reaction based on fiery emotions [that might even soften or subside if we look at them clearly]?
Is it necessary? Will these words and actions benefit myself and the greater good? Will it support myself and my beliefs moving forward, or will it just temporarily boost my ego?
Is it kind? Is this the way I would hope to be treated? Is this kind to myself and others based on my beliefs, values, and desires?
My CliffsNotes summary: Is it in line with my hearts desires in terms of how I feel, what I say, and how I act [really though, be honest and dig past the layers that might fog it up]?
It might not all be peace and love all the time, but it can be a little bit of that as often as possible if we act in accordance to what we all truthfully crave: love, understanding, acceptance, validation.
This does not mean we have to accept extreme extremists, but we can choose to see truthfully with open eyes and an open heart. We can choose to act according to our own values and desires in the most compassionate way we can muster.
What other very simple things can we do to act in compassionate ways toward mind, body and planet?
- Appreciate ourselves and each other for what we are instead of what we are not, allowing judgement to settle when it starts to build up.
- Meditate, or take time to breathe and be with ourselves exactly as we are in that moment.
- Nourish ourselves with clean, whole foods as much as possible [and not kick ourselves in the pants when we don’t].
- Enjoy our bodies through our favorite movements, whether it’s yoga or leisurely walks or squirreling around on the floor.
- Reuse things like bags and clothes, and recycle whenever possible. Consciously reducing waste by reusing things like kitchen towels instead of paper towels, or clean empty jars instead of plastic containers can make a huge difference in the amount of non-biodegradable waste we contribute to.
- Choose organic foods and sustainable products whenever possible to support our environment instead of damage it.
We are in the midst of a global shift. We are experiencing extreme emotion, love and loss as individuals, a community, a nation and a planet. Rather than making it about taking sides and choosing our weapons, I encourage all of us to consider our call to compassionate action as an extended family.
We might not all be “one,” but we are all on one planet, and we are all deserving of time and love on this planet. We are all made of the same stuff, we encase the same hearts with different perspectives of right and wrong.
And when we react out of fear, don’t we often eventually arrive in a more relaxed state, looking back to reconsider with skepticism? So why not try living in a more open state, to see clearly, and to act in an honest way based on the desires within ourselves and each other? Is it true, is it necessary, is it kind?
How do you act compassionately, even when it is the last thing you feel you might be able to do?
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