Compassion Within

Today, the word “Compassion” came up in my angel cards. To understand compassion I referred to the dictionary. The definition of Compassion is Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.

Deep awareness requires self questioning and I ask myself where is there suffering in myself that is being mirrored to me by another? I get a bit stuck on the word “deep.” Deep for me means not on the surface. On the surface, I may be manifesting something like a headache or physical discomfort, but what within myself is suffering?

The trigger this morning was reading about James Ray’s arrest and charged with manslaughter in connection to the deaths at his retreat seminar in Arizona. The deaths occurred after participation in a ceremony sweat lodge.

This concerned me on a number of levels. I could list them all and explain, but through conversation and mediation, the realization is compassion.

I can have compassion for James Ray and for the people who were impacted by this event. I can have awareness that there is suffering by all that were directly and indirectly involved. I don’t know the whole story, nor do I need to. I don’t think we will ever know the whole or true story. It surely doesn’t matter in any case. I have a wish to relieve it and the only way I can do that is through understanding the part of me that is suffering.

What I’ve come to understand is that I believe we all have a part to play in this world. This event saddens me and helps me to be aware of my beliefs around money, power, ego and the sacredness of it all. I don’t have answers only more questions. Not of other people and their choices, actions or responsibility, but of my own.

Today, I will be compassionate to myself. I will relieve my suffering by sending love and light to all who need it today. I hope that in that others may feel the ripple effect and find that place within. To everyone who was and is impacted by the event in Arizona, I send love.