Compassion
Love has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Love and compassion for the world is to look out; yours are the feet with which Love is to go about doing good; and yours are the hands with which Love is to bless us now.
Compassion is the Whole Souul Living Theme for April, and the quote above is adapted from St. Teresa of Avila. Another quote to consider this month is un-attributed but even more pointed: “Show me someone who goes through life with a heart more closed than open, and I’ll show you someone who can never be fulfilled.”
Some questions for individual and communal reflection:
-Compassion is said to be both the means and the end of the spiritual life. If you look within your own heart, does this feel true?
-Some Buddhist traditions affirm that the goal in life is to be happy, and the way to be happy is to make others happy. Is this true to your experience?
-What does a compassionate person, organization, or community look like, sound like, feel like?How does a person, organization, or community become more compassionate?
-Does compassion have any meaning or value if it’s only in our heads? In other words, is compassion just a feeling? Or, does compassion require action?