"Compassion refers to the arising in the heart of the desire to relieve the suffering
of all beings." -Ram Dass
I remember being very young in my life the first time I heard the phrase "bussing the blacks in". Mind you, that was not in the 60's, that was the early 90's. And I was not raised in the south.
Many of us were raised in families that are a continuation of generations being thickly taught racism and lack of openness in incorporating any other race into the system of white supremacy that they'd always known.
(Before anyone reading this gets fired up by the term "supremacy," a reminder of the definition: "a state or condition of being superior to all others in status". This does not equate to "Nazi," though they were obviously a radical expression of the term. I do invite each of you to really look at that definition and see how that sits in relationship to your personal views on human races aside from your own.)
For many of us, the experience of being raised in such a detrimental cycle has offered an invaluable gift. That of an opportunity to understand an unprecedented level of compassion for others "not like us"; which was learned through witnessing not that throughout such impactful parts of our lives.
Reminders, if you will, of how diseased a racist mentality is, leading to an innate wisdom that it doesn't have to be that way.
Sure, it's a shame that compassion requires reminders for some. But when we're so largely spoon-fed divisiveness, taught to question our neighbors, and encouraged not to trust others; in all of this, overall, what's required is unlearning.
Unlearning racism, unlearning "an eye for an eye", and unlearning judgment of others, regardless of similarities and differences. What we're now being called to is a new level of an overwhelming sense of care-full concern for each other. To come together in this collective unlearning as we rise up through a more empowering vibration of focus.
Let yourself be angry. Let yourself take action. But I encourage you to be mindful to not let that action be fueled by the same hatred that led to this devastation, among endless other examples. We have a profound opportunity to embody the level of compassion that we're calling others to step into.
"Compassion refers to the arising in the heart of the desire to relieve the suffering of all beings." -Ram Dass
May we always encourage ourselves to explore and more deeply understand the healing power of compassion versus continuing to fuel the abhorrence that has been incorporated into the lives of the majority.
Because as surely as we can sense inhumanity, we can choose to take action from a place of solicitude, further breaking cycles and creating opportunities to show others what that can look like. What freedom from hatred and societal programming can be.
Choice by choice. Word by word. Thought by thought.
Learn more about Sam Jump here.
