Original Chögyam Trungpa drawing (Photo credit: Mattos Gabriela)
“Acts of compassion are eternal; they live forever shining their rays throughout the Universe.” ~~~ Chogyam Trungpa
I found this quote a week or two ago, getting ready for my trip out here to Upaya Zen Center and was trying to get posts ready so I didn’t feel the need to write if I didn’t want to.
What I am struck with, struck like we invite the bell of mindfulness struck, again and again is that there is a simple complexity in life… as caregivers (meaning ALL of us) there are some truths that seem to be more applicable and more important than trying to live my commandments our things outside of ourselves.
What do I mean by that… I mean that compassion, forgiveness, presence, intention are some of the most powerful forces in this world that we know. They create healing, well-being, foster a sense of community, peace, comfort, kindheartedness, and deep and abounding Love.
I said to someone last night that if I could, you know, the whole magic wand thing… I would want to undo everything that doctors, RNs, and therapists are taught in their professional programs and have them sit on a safe or gomden with people like Ram Dass, Roshi Joan Halifax, Tara Brach, Stephen & Ondrea Levine, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Frank Ostaseski, Roshi Bernie Glassman, etc. They get it. They get what true healing is because they have been present to the joys and sorrows, the liberation and the suffering of beings in this lifetime.
Frankly, I don’t want to care what the new DSM says. I don’t want to know about your ego defenses. I don’t want to know your attachment type/style.
But what I want to know is what creates suffering for you?
What keeps you from your perfect wisdom, your “holiest” of selves?
What stirs passion in you?
What is it like to be with your thoughts, to be with the moment to moment sensations in your body.
What comes up for you?
What keeps you from being in touch with that?
What keeps you profoundly sad?
And what keeps you from being profoundly compassion and brilliant?
Don’t get me wrong, I would never trade my education in humanistic existential phenomenological psychology. I would never trade the amazing teachers that I have had scattered amongst the strong brains and hidden hearts of professors.
But what has been most healing to me?
Steven and Ondrea reminding me to have a soft belly.
Roshi Joan’s laughter, great feminine wisdom, and embodied magic.
Frank reminding me to not push away anything.
Bernie taking people to Poland to sit in the snow and recite the names so we NEVER forget the dead or how they died.
This, to me, is the act of true healing. It is what we gave birth to experience and witness. This is how we cultivate compassion for ourselves and for this world.
Much gratitude and lovingkindness to all who read this and all who inspired this.
Peace, Jennifer
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Namaste. . . 
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