With a twist of the doorknob, the door creaks open. I hear the voice of action calling to me. Slipping out the door, I prepare to respond to the suffering and angst in the world. I want to be a bodhisattva — an alleviator of suffering. But, the harshness, the unevenness of the world threatens to upend my carefully made plans.
Suffering overwhelms. I discover within my humanness the seeds of causing harm, of hurting myself and others. I see my humanness reflected in those around me. Is there hope that suffering will lessen — that I can be a bodhisattva?
I do not despair nor should you. For we have been given two great gifts to navigate the unevenness. These gifts root us in our contemplative spirit and give birth to our compassionate heart. What are these two gifts? Meditation and contemplation.
This meditation is more than sitting quietly and purging your mind of thoughts. This meditation is all encompassing. It requires a focusing your awareness on the sacred in your life. Your life, your sacred, your understanding. When you are mindful, you notice the world unfolding in a peculiar way. You recognize that the unevenness of the world is not yours. But, in righting your unevenness your bring balance to your world.
Contemplation is the next step. Through meditation you notice what you notice. Instead of reacting, you quietly wait for clarity. You listen intently for the voiceless words of the sacred to guide you on the bodhisattva journey. You understand that self compassion is first act. Unless you soothe your wounds, calming the fiery heat of another is nearly impossible.
With practice, the rhythm of your day becomes seamless mediation and contemplation. Your compassionate response is a guide for another on their healing journey. You feel the suffering of another. With your empathy realized, you touch their heart with yours. The fire of your compassion burns away their suffering.
It is the little ways that we alleviate suffering that make the biggest difference. We may listen to the anguish of a stranger; help a mother open a door; assist an older person with their groceries. We may never know how we are the tipping point that shifts a life of suffering to a one of hope. We may never even realize that our act of compassion made the big difference.
Bodhisattva, wise listener, contemplative in action, compassion warrior — no matter what we call our self, our goal is to be present and respond with compassion in a world that is harsh and uneven.
Vanessa F. Hurst, ms, is a Neural Synchrony™ facilitator, professional speaker, and author who weaves her inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are A Constellation of Connections: Contemplative Relationships and Engaging Compassion Through Intent & Action. Vanessa assists clients in navigating their life paths with intuition. Contact Vanessa @ vanessa@intentandaction.com for keynotes, programs, and consultations.
Twitter: @fyrserpent / ©2018
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