Manila Jiva
  • About Manila Jiva
    • On the Web
  • Jivamukti Classes Manila
    • Jivamukti at Yoga Studios
    • Private Yoga Classes
    • Home Practice
    • Student Reviews
  • Wholeheartedness: A Jivamukti Yoga Retreat
  • Manila Jiva Blog
  • eBooks

Compassion and the Golden Rule

8/25/2016

0 Comments

 
If I were to ask you to make a list of people you love and care about and whom you would defend and make sacrifices for, it would likely be easy for you to come up with this list. If I ask you to write a second list, this time of people who you don't like or push your buttons or you don't care much about, it would be likely that you can also easily come up with such a list. Consider for a moment, though, that those who are on the second list may be on other people's first list. Given that, doesn't it show that whom we care about is based on our own arbitrary standards and not on the inherent value of those beings? Given that, doesn't it say something about the falsity and misguidedness of our perceptions?

The focus of the month is compassion, and compassion is but the golden rule. Do unto others what you wish would be done unto you. It does not set conditions or segregate by lists or qualify by certain criteria. Do unto others-- all others. To practice compassion then means that we have to let go of the divide that exists in our hearts of who deserves care and consideration. To practice compassion then means that we have to let go of the idea that there are two or more lists or groups, and we treat one group differently from the other.

All war ever waged in history is because of this division, this mentality that one group is more important than the other. The only way we can stop external violence is to start to build compassion internally, to be guided by an internal compass of connectedness. When we decide that we will no longer live with different standards for different beings, that we will no longer discriminate and hate, that we will no longer pick and choose who deserves care and understanding, then the seed of compassion will inevitably grow. We then respect the golden rule-- do unto others-- and embrace it completely and unconditionally.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Get Manila Jiva email updates:

    Manila Jiva

    Nancy Siy
    Jivamukti Yoga Teacher
    Animal Rights Activist
    Vegan Advocate

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.