Towards the end of our visit in Seattle, the Dalai Lama was there for Seeds of Compassion gathering. The 5 day gathering was planned to focus world attention on the following:
• Our communities need thoughtful, creative adults who are actively engaged citizens.
• Our global society needs people equipped to communicate across
cultures and address differences through understanding and
collaborative problem solving.
• These qualities must take root in early childhood.
• When children build from strong foundations emotionally, socially and
cognitively, they can develop into compassionate adults.
The points above were taken from the Seeds of Compassion website. Please spend some time there, where you will find ideas for practising compassion in your daily life, broadcasts from the event, resources for sharing and teaching compassion and more info.
I am currently reading When Things Fall Apart and listening to How to Meditate both by Pema Chodron. She is a Buddhist nun working out of Nova Scotia and her story is fascinating. I find her books easy to read, although the ideas she puts forth are quite complex at times, and her voice on the CD is human and accessible, not stagey at all. I've also got The Wisdom of No Escape lined up.
This week, from the Seeds of Compassion website, something to try:
when you meet friends and strangers. Do it
discreetly and try to do all the steps with the same person. With your
attention geared to the other person, tell yourself:
— Step 1: “Just like me, this person is seeking happiness in his/her life.”
— Step 2: “Just like me, this person is trying to avoid suffering in his/her life.”
— Step 3: “Just like me, this person has known sadness, loneliness and despair.”
— Step 4: “Just like me, this person is seeking to fill his/her needs.”
— Step 5: “Just like me, this person is learning about life.”
See if it changes how you relate to them and see if it changes how you feel in your skin and in your world. Let us know how it goes.