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compassion
February 2009 
How do you respond to suffering?
Posted on Jun 25th, 2008
by 
veronica lynne
veronica lynne
This is in Response to the Questions and Reflections for June 25, 2008:
This is really two very different questions.
First, how do I respond to others suffering. I have discovered, and have been told, I am too empathetic. I don't mean sympathetic; I mean empathetic. When I see (or feel) others suffer it becomes my own suffering and this is not a good thing for me. I've learned it is good to be sympathetic towards the needs of others and this can be accomplished if we protect ourselves continually. This allows us to be aware of the humanness in another and yet remain focused as our own sense of person. The ideal situation is to feel compassion toward the suffering of others.
I believe we are all connected. We are all ONE and as such it can be difficult for one of us to hurt without others also experiencing the hurt. However it can be difficult to get anything accomplished in the human world if we all go around feeling hurt and suffering.
Now, how do I respond to suffering in myself. I try (and yes, I did say try because it's constant work) not to see it as suffering. I realize that 1) I may have asked for this suffering in some form or fashion. For example, I am now unemployed and the way it happened has left me sometimes feeling like I was wronged which might lead to suffering. When this begins to happen I understand that it is the ego trying to get me to feel as though I was wronged and I quiet the ego by remembering that it was not a good fit for either of us and that I am much better off now that I am free to follow the path that Spirit has intended for me. I am now able to serve in another capacity that is better suited for myself and humankind.
As for physical pain suffering...it's how we choose to think about it. It's all energy and how much energy do you want to spend or focus on what you believe to be pain and suffering? I make the choice every day, every hour, every minute. Do I choose suffering? No. I choose NOT.
First, how do I respond to others suffering. I have discovered, and have been told, I am too empathetic. I don't mean sympathetic; I mean empathetic. When I see (or feel) others suffer it becomes my own suffering and this is not a good thing for me. I've learned it is good to be sympathetic towards the needs of others and this can be accomplished if we protect ourselves continually. This allows us to be aware of the humanness in another and yet remain focused as our own sense of person. The ideal situation is to feel compassion toward the suffering of others.
I believe we are all connected. We are all ONE and as such it can be difficult for one of us to hurt without others also experiencing the hurt. However it can be difficult to get anything accomplished in the human world if we all go around feeling hurt and suffering.
Now, how do I respond to suffering in myself. I try (and yes, I did say try because it's constant work) not to see it as suffering. I realize that 1) I may have asked for this suffering in some form or fashion. For example, I am now unemployed and the way it happened has left me sometimes feeling like I was wronged which might lead to suffering. When this begins to happen I understand that it is the ego trying to get me to feel as though I was wronged and I quiet the ego by remembering that it was not a good fit for either of us and that I am much better off now that I am free to follow the path that Spirit has intended for me. I am now able to serve in another capacity that is better suited for myself and humankind.
As for physical pain suffering...it's how we choose to think about it. It's all energy and how much energy do you want to spend or focus on what you believe to be pain and suffering? I make the choice every day, every hour, every minute. Do I choose suffering? No. I choose NOT.
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