An Invitation into the Messiness of Life: Compassion
As you may know, I wrote a book on compassion, Engaging Compassion through Intent and Action. As I reflect upon what I wrote, all of this talk about how to feel compassion and where to share compassion has me confounded. In the past 13 years compassion has become a buzzword; its meaning has been diluted. I’ve read article that urge to “show evil compassion.” But can you really show evil compassion? Why would you?
Compassion is simply an alleviation of suffering although there is little that is simple about suffering. It twists inside us making us act out in ways that are frankly not us. In those moments when we or others are caught in suffering that is the time for compassionate action.
Compassionate action is, well, an action. It is not a cerebral pondering but a decision to do something to help another (or our self) navigate through suffering. That means we act through our words and deeds. How do we decide how to act? Through discernment.
Discernment is a means of objectively paying attention. It is a way of attending to what is going on without getting invested emotionally. In this bearing witness, you begin to notice the feelings of another without assuming them. This awareness is empathy.
When you acknowledge those feelings of another, ask yourself, “What is next? How can I help another person navigate through their suffering into a place of peace?” In answering those questions, you plant the seeds of compassion.
If you believe that compassion needs to be a grand gesture, that is untrue. Compassion can simply be, “I see you.” Or, “I am here from you.” It can also encompass help on many levels. It may be a kind word, a helping hand, a clearing of the path forward. Compassion says “I get that life is messy, but I believe in your ability to rise above the suffering.” The beautiful thing about compassion is that it is an inside job. You identify the suffering and then choose how to respond, how to alleviate, it.
Compassion is a funny thing that invites us into the messiness of life. Through it, we gain the courage to be touched by the suffering of another. In this courageous act, we are made stronger. It powers the light within us to shine rays of healing in an increasingly broken world.
Let’s return to my initial questions. Can you really show compassion to evil or malevolence? I will answer that with another question — how can you have compassion for something that insidiously burrows into another and into the world triggering suffering? Our energy is best spent focusing on the destruction that evil wrought rather than the the evil itself. I am not saying to ignore evil, what I am saying is our compassion is best focused on suffering not on the perpetrator of suffering.
Community Minister Van Hurst is a spiritual director and intuitive mentor. She has a master’s degree in Natural Health, spiritual direction certification, medical intuitive training, and life coach certification.
Through individual sessions, programs, and books, she assists others in navigating the uncertainty as they cultivate a lived experience of the sacred showing up in expected and unpredictable ways. The result? Her clients shine forth their most authentic, unapologetic spirit.
Are you ready to shine your most authentic, unapologetic spirit? Reach out. hurst.vanessa@gmail.com vanessafhurst.com