Welcome to the beginning of the summer sermon series based on the book by Karen Armstrong1, Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life. The first step is to learn about compassion. There are many definitions of compassion and in my preparation for today’s sermon I discovered that Stanford Medical has a website called The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education2. From that site I share the following:
Compassion. In the classical teachings of the Buddhist tradition compassion is defined as the heart that trembles in the face of suffering. At times, compassion is translated as the heart that can tremble in the face of suffering. It is aspired to as the noblest quality of the human heart, the motivation underlying all meditative paths of healing and liberation.
Compassion is a response to suffering, the inevitable adversity all human beings will meet in their lives, whether it is the pain embedded in the fabric of ageing, sickness and death or the psychological and emotional [and spiritual] afflictions that debilitate the mind. Compassion is the acknowledgment that not all pain can be ‘fixed’ or ‘solved’ but all suffering is made more approachable in a landscape of compassion.
Compassion is a multi-textured response to pain, sorrow and anguish. It includes kindness, empathy, generosity and acceptance. The strands of courage, tolerance, equanimity are equally woven into the cloth of compassion. Above all compassion is the capacity to open to the reality of suffering and to aspire to its healing. The Dalai Lama once said, ‘If you want to know what compassion is, look into the eyes of a mother or father as they cradle their sick and fevered child’.
Karen Armstrong writes: “One of the chief tasks of our time must surely be to build a global community in which all peoples can live together in mutual respect; yet religion, which should be making a major contribution, is seen as part of the problem. All faiths insist that compassion is the test of true spirituality and that it brings us into relation with the transcendence we call God, Brahman, Nirvana, or Dao. Each has formulated its own version of what is sometimes called the Golden Rule. Further, they all insist that you cannot confine your benevolence to your own group, you must have concern for everybody — even enemies.”1
We heard various versions of the Golden Rule from world religions and traditions this morning — some in a negative form, some in a positive form. The statements from these 13 traditions have been included in your bulletin for your reference and understanding. The Golden Rule has a golden thread that connects the various traditions together. Are you surprised to learn how similar the Islamic statement is to the Christian statement? I have decided not to go into great depth of the history of the traditions as Armstrong does. Her book is still in print if you desire to do more study on your own.
Rather than give a history lesson or typical sermon I thought we would do something a bit different this morning — a guided meditation. Sometimes we hear the word “meditation” and want to run for the hills, but please don’t do that. A guided meditation helps us to use our imagination in a unique way. Another reason I chose this method is rather than speaking about compassion, I hope the meditation will help us to feel compassion. Remember, there are no right or wrong thoughts or emotions that may come up during the meditation.
I am also aware that you are a compassionate people. This exercise may also help us understand where we may need to continue to work on being compassionate in our own lives. There are five different aspects of compassion that will be touched upon in this meditation.
This exercise draws on a guided meditation created by researcher Helen Weng3 and her colleagues at the Center for Healthy Minds (CHM) at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
I invite you to settle into a comfortable position and allow yourself to relax. Some of you are used to a nap during the sermon and you have my permission to do so this morning. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and release. For a few moments, just focus on your breath and clear your mind of worries. Notice when you are breathing in and breathing out. Let yourself experience and be aware of the sensations of breathing.
Loving-kindness & Compassion for a Loved One
Picture someone who is close to you, someone toward whom you feel a great amount of love. Notice how this love feels in your heart.
Notice the sensations around your heart. Perhaps you feel a sensation of warmth, openness, and tenderness. [10 seconds]
Continue breathing, and focus on these feelings as you visualize your loved one. As you breathe out, imagine that you are extending a golden light that holds your warm feelings from the center of your heart. Imagine that the golden light reaches out to your loved one, bringing him or her peace and happiness. At the same time, silently recite these phrases.
May you have happiness. May you be free from suffering.
May you experience joy and ease. May you have happiness.
May you be free from suffering. May you experience joy and ease. [1 minute]
Compassion for a Loved One
Now think of a time when this person was suffering. Maybe they experienced an illness, an injury, or a difficult time in a relationship. [15 seconds]
Notice how you feel when you think of his or her suffering. How does your heart feel? Do the sensations change? Do you continue to feel warmth, openness and tenderness? Are there other sensations, perhaps an aching sensation? [10 seconds]
Continue to visualize your loved one as you breathe. Imagine that you are extending the golden light from your heart to your loved one, and that the golden light is easing his or her suffering. Extend this light out to them during your exhalation, with the strong heartfelt wish that they be free from his or her suffering. Recite silently to him or her:
May you be free from this suffering. May you have joy and happiness.
May you be free from this suffering. May you have joy and happiness. [1 minute]
Notice how this feels in your heart. What happened to your heart? Did the sensations change? Did you continue to feel warmth, openness and tenderness? Were there other sensations, an aching sensation perhaps? Did you have a wish to take away the other’s suffering? [30 seconds]
Compassion for Self
Contemplate a time when you have suffered yourself. Perhaps you experienced a conflict with someone you care about, or did not succeed in something you wanted, or were physically ill. [15 seconds]
Notice how you feel when you think of your suffering. How does your heart feel? Do you continue to feel warmth, openness, and tenderness? Are there other sensations, perhaps an aching sensation? [10 seconds]
Just as we wish for our loved one’s suffering to end, we wish that our own suffering would end. We may also envision our own pain and suffering leaving us so that we may experience happiness.
Continue to visualize yourself as you breathe. Imagine that the golden light emanating from your heart is easing your suffering. With each exhalation, feel the light emanating within you, with the strong heartfelt wish that you be free from your suffering. Silently recite to yourself:
May I be free from this suffering. May I have joy and happiness.
May I be free from this suffering. May I have joy and happiness. [2 minutes] Again, notice how this feels in your heart. What kind of sensations did you feel? Did they change from when you were envisioning your own suffering? How is this feeling different from when you wished your loved one’s suffering to be relieved? Did you feel warmth, openness and tenderness? Were there other sensations such as pressure? Did you have a wish to take away your own suffering? [30 seconds]
Compassion for a Neutral Person
Now visualize someone you neither like nor dislike—someone you may see in your everyday life, such as a classmate [or co-worker] with whom you are not familiar, a bus driver, or a stranger you pass on the street. [5 seconds]
Although you are not familiar with this person, think of how this person may suffer in his or her own life. This person may also have conflicts with loved ones, or struggled with an addiction, or may have suffered illness. Imagine a situation in which this person may have suffered. [30 seconds]
Notice your heart center. Does it feel different? Do you feel more warmth, openness and tenderness? Are there other sensations, perhaps an aching sensation? How does your heart feel different from when you were envisioning your own or a loved one’s suffering? [10 seconds]
Continue to visualize this person as you breathe. Imagine that you are extending the golden light from your heart to them, and that the golden light is easing his or her suffering. Extend this light out to them during your exhalation, with the strong heartfelt wish that he or she be free from suffering. See if this wish can be as strong as the wish for your own or a loved one’s suffering to be relieved. Silently recite to him/her:
May you be free from this suffering. May you have joy and happiness.
May you be free from this suffering. May you have joy and happiness. [2 minutes]
Again, notice how this feels in your heart. Did the sensations change from when you were envisioning this person’s suffering? Did you continue to feel warmth, openness and tenderness? Were there other sensations? Did you have a wish to take away this person’s suffering? How were these feelings different from when you were wishing to take away your own or a loved one’s suffering? [30 seconds]
Compassion for an Enemy
Now visualize someone with whom you have difficulty in your life. This may be a parent or child with whom you disagree, an ex [-girlfriend or boyfriend], a roommate with whom you had an argument, or a co-worker with whom you do not get along. [5 seconds]
Although you may have negative feelings towards this person, think of how this person has suffered in his or her own life. This person has also had conflicts with loved ones, or has dealt with failures, or may have suffered illness. Think of a situation in which this person may have suffered. [30 seconds]
Notice your heart center. Does it feel different? Do you feel more warmth, openness and tenderness? Are there other sensations, perhaps an aching sensation? How does your heart feel different from when you were envisioning your own or a loved one’s suffering? [10 seconds]
Continue to visualize this person as you breathe. Imagine that you are extending the golden light from your heart to him or her, and that the golden light is easing his or her suffering. Extend this light out to him or her during your exhalation, with the strong heartfelt wish that he or she be free from suffering. See if this wish can be as strong as the wish for your own or a loved one’s suffering to be relieved. Silently recite to him/
May you be free from this suffering. May you have joy and happiness
May you be free from this suffering. May you have joy and happiness. [1 minute]
If you have difficulty in wishing for this person’s suffering to be relieved, you may think of a positive interaction you have had with this person that can help you in wishing them joy and happiness. Perhaps there were times when you got along, laughed together, or worked well together on an assignment. Continue to silently recite:
May you be free from this suffering. May you have joy and happiness. [2 minutes]
Again, notice how this feels in your heart. Did the sensations change? Did you feel warmth, openness and tenderness? How were these feelings different from when you were wishing for your own or a loved one’s suffering to end? Were there other sensations, perhaps a tightness in the chest? Did you have a wish to take away this person’s suffering? [30 seconds]
Compassion for All Beings
Now that we are almost at the end of this meditation, let’s end with wish for all other beings’ suffering to be relieved. Just as I wish to have peace, happiness, and to be free from suffering, so do all beings. [10 seconds]
Now bask in the joy of this open-hearted wish to ease the suffering of all people and how this attempt brings joy, happiness, and compassion in your heart at this very moment. [30 seconds]
And now, pay attention to your breathing as you become aware of where you are. Open your eyes when you are ready. Hold onto the different feelings and emotions you experienced in this meditation. Think of which situation you had the easiest time with and which was the most difficult. Of course, the most difficult is also the area that needs work to be done. Maybe some of you found it was an easy exercise in all areas, but I bet most of us had trouble in a few places. Pay attention to those difficult areas. Remember this meditation is available at our website as part of this sermon and you are welcome to refer to it again and again. The website from which this meditation was taken also has an audio component if you would prefer that. The website is listed at the end of the sermon in the “resource” section.
May God’s compassion toward you comfort and compassionately guide you toward all this week. Amen.
Resources:
- Karen Armstrong: Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life. 2010
- Feldman, C., & Kuyken, W. (2011). Compassion in the landscape of suffering. Contemporary Buddhism, 12(1), 143-155. doi:10.1080/14639947.2011.564831.
- Helen Weng, et al; Center for Healthy Minds (CHM); University of Wisconsin, Madison. This meditation can be found at: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/#filters=compassion
Copyright DMC, 2018