Bringing Our Compassion Home.

In a talk given following the events of 9/11, Zen Buddhist Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh was once asked how he might respond to terrorism. More specifically, what he might say to Osama Bin Laden.

To which he replied, “The first thing I would do is listen.”

To listen, my darlings; to act without judgement or bias, to offer a space for understanding to be born –  this is the heart of compassion.

And, it’s never easy – is it? At times, the very core of our being is tested in ways we might never have imagined. We feel rage, anger, hatred – emotions which have laid dormant for year, are suddenly at the forefront of our experience.

To understand, my darlings – is the very first step in creating this path of peace.

“To understand,” he shares. “we must find paths of communication so that we can listen to those who desperately are calling out for our understanding — because such an act of violence is a desperate call for attention and for help.”

And, it is perhaps the only means by which we can create a true and authentic healing.

In the Buddhist scriptures, we are taught that we can not defuse the energy of hatred with more hatred. Doing so, only serves to escalate.

“So how can we bring about a drop of compassion that can put out the fire of hatred?” he asks.

By allowing compassion to serve as the basis for our everyday practice.

My darlings, in this way – we may finally bring our compassion ‘home.’

About

Tara Lemieux is a mindful wanderer, and faithful stargazer. Although she often appears to be listening with great care, rest assured she is most certainly‘forever lost in thought. She is an ardent explorer and lover of finding things previously undiscovered or at the very least mostly not-uncovered.

You may also like