This Week's Quotation:
Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.
~ Pema Chödrön
Unveiling Compassion Through Shadow Work
Bexx Biehl Kashyap, Reiki Master, Yogini/Certified Yoga and Meditation Teacher
In the grand composition of life, compassion harmonizes as a melody that unites us all, transcending the roles of the healer and the healed. Pema Chödrön's timeless wisdom emphasizes the profound truth: authentic compassion blossoms from acknowledging our shared humanity, transforming healing into a reciprocal dance between equals.
Compassion, as I've come to perceive it, is an intimate dance with our shadows. It's a relationship with ourselves that unfolds as a gift to others when we fearlessly explore the depths of our darkness. As Chödrön eloquently phrases it, compassion takes on substance when we bravely confront the places within that evoke fear.
In our life's journey, it's tempting to view compassion as a benevolent gesture reserved for those suffering. Yet, it extends beyond that—it's a recognition that we, too, carry shadows and wounds. It's the realization that within this human existence, we are all fellow travelers navigating the intricate patterns of joy and pain. Avoiding an exploration of our inner shadows and neglecting to confront the turbulence within, inadvertently transforms us into carriers of unexamined shadows. Our unresolved pain projects itself onto the world, influencing our interactions and unintentionally causing harm to other sentient beings. To infuse genuine compassion into the world requires embarking on an inner journey, a commitment to know and embrace the entirety of our being. We are here to live our Dharma, not our past Karma.
By plumbing the depths of our internal landscape, we engage in a profound alchemical process. We transmute shadows into light and turn wounds into gateways for empathy. This self-awareness acts as a spiritual safeguard, preventing us from unconsciously inflicting suffering on others. To bless the world with love, we must first bless ourselves. Compassion, in essence, begins within the chambers of our hearts. It demands a dedication to explore the recesses of our souls and tenderly address the wounds we find. In this process, we become bearers of genuine, radiant light, capable of illuminating the path for others.
As we navigate the intricate dance between shadows and light, let us embrace the transformative power of compassion, recognizing that our shared humanity is a rich composition woven with threads of love, understanding, and interconnectedness.
About Open Windows
We, the authors of this blog, dedicate it to the transparent exploration of the world's sacred scripture and enlightened spiritual thought. We believe that the original inspiration of all faiths comes from a common source, named and revered in a myriad of ways. With that understanding, the innumerable symbols, beliefs, and practices of faith cease to divide. They become open windows to a common reality that inspires and unifies us. We find deeper insight and nourishment in our own faith and from the expression of faith from others.
We hope these weekly quotations and meditations speak to your heart and soul.
Yes. Thank you Bexx and Pema. One humanity. May the heart open further in each moment and the awareness of the other be full and open to who they fully are and to the new. Love, tom C.
Thank you, Bexx, for unveiling this enlightening perspective regarding the true nature of compassion. How important it is to not only offer blessings and healing energy to “the wounded,” but to simultaneously acknowledge and release the wounds and shadows in oneself.
Working on self – what a timely reminder, and what an ongoing process that is. Thank you Bexx for illuminating this practice. Often the hardest person to forgive is the self – the hardest person to bless with love is self. There’s the work, and the primal spark of radiance indeed.
Our hearts are most full – when reaching out to others in their need…..