How do you describe compassion?

That’s a question we will ask all participants in Atlanta during the upcoming “Cultivating Compassion” series of educational events. We’ll ask the question two times: once at the beginning of the conference and again at the end. Why? Because compassion isn’t static. Just as the compassionate listening we offer in spiritual direction changes over time, so does the way we understand and express compassion. In the global ministry of spiritual direction it is important for us to continually cultivate compassion toward ourselves, toward our spiritual companions, and toward the world we live in.

Even though you may not be joining us in Atlanta, I invite you to take part in an exercise that I hope will help you cultivate compassion in your ministry and service of spiritual direction. Three powerful, free, online, TED talk videos have been released in the past three years, each dedicated to compassion. I am recommending to all the upcoming Atlanta participants to watch at least one TED talk in preparation for the educational events.

The exercise is simple:
Before you watch any of the TED talks, write down how you describe compassion.
Then learn from one of these spiritual leaders by following the hyperlink on their photo or name. After watching the video, write down what you absorbed about compassion, not only in your head, but also in your heart. When you next meet with your spiritual companions, notice how you listen with compassion – is it the same or has something shifted?

“Why should I learn from these people?” you may ask. Here’s why (profile source: www.TED.com.):

Rabbi Jackie Tabick is known for being the first female rabbi in the UK and for her remarkable efforts to reach out to distinct faiths. She serves as chair to the World Congress of Faiths, working with patrons such as Rev. Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama towards deepening religious understanding, respect and co-operation. To this end, Rabbi Tabick also serves as an executive member of the Inter Faith Network, and the Three Faiths Forum, as well acting as patron for the Jewish Council for Racial Equality (JCORE). The title of her talk, posted in 2008: The Balancing Act of Compassion

 

Religious thinker Karen Armstrong has written more than 20 books on faith and the major religions, studying what Islam, Judaism and Christianity have in common, and how our faiths shaped world history and drive current events. "I say that religion isn't about believing things. It's ethical alchemy. It's about behaving in a way that changes you, that gives you intimations of holiness and sacredness." SDI is delighted to host Karen Armstrong's Charter of Compassion exhibit during the Atlanta educational events. The title of her talk, posted in 2009: Let's revive the Golden Rule

When Krista Tippett graduated with a Masters of Divinity from Yale, she saw a black hole where intelligent coverage of religion should be. As she conducted a far-flung oral history project for the Benedictines of St. John's Abbey, she began to imagine radio conversations about the spiritual and intellectual content of faith that could open minds and enrich public life. These imagined conversations became reality when she created "Speaking of Faith" (now "On Being"), which is broadcast on over 200 US pubic radio stations and globally by NPR. The title of her talk, posted in 2011: Reconnecting with Compassion

Reflection:
What are you noticing about the way compassion is being cultivated in you and through you? Please share your reflections on the blog, along with any reactions to the TED talks.

TED Talk video links

• Rabbi Jackie Tabick: The Balancing Act of Compassion
  
• Karen Armstrong: Let's revive the Golden Rule
• Krista Tippett: Reconnecting with Compassion

You're invited!
Cultivating Compassion with Earth Hour
Turn off or dim electricity

Saturday, 26 March 2011
8:30 p.m. local time
Where: Your place
Join people around the globe and switch electrical lights off for one hour
Pause, slow down, savor stillness

Learn about Earth Hour On Saturday 27 March, Earth Hour 2010 became the biggest Earth Hour ever. A record 128 countries and territories joined the global display of climate action. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Asia Pacific to Europe and Africa to the Americas switched off. People across the world from all walks of life turned off their lights and came together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet. In 2011...

Ten Reasons Why Earth Hour is Cool

Make a Virtual Lantern

Make a Virtual Light Switch

Cultivating compassion begins with ourselves, extends to our families and community, and spreads throughout the planet. Everything is within the scope of acting with compassion and intention. As the video says (and a spiritual director affirms): "You don't need to be an expert, you just need to be you, and do your part."

To celebrate the changing of the seasons, and the hope that this life-giving cycle symbolizes, SDI is offering a unique Equinox Special!

Invite a non-member friend, colleague, or spiritual directee to join you at Spiritual Directors International "Cultivating Compassion" conference in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, for USD$300 – that is more than a 50% discount!

This special offer includes a one year membership in Spiritual Directors International as well as the conference tuition and registration fee.

Only currently registered conference participants are being extended this opportunity. Because of these special circumstances, you, your friend, or colleague need to call the Spiritual Directors International home office at +1-425-455-1565 (or e-mail membership@sdiworld.org for a call back) to register and take advantage of this offer. The Equinox Special ends on March 31, so contact your colleagues and friends now!

Hundreds of people will arrive in Atlanta, Georgia, for Cultivating Compassion, with keynote Dr. Janet Ruffing, RSM, conference spiritual director Wilkie Au, MDiv, PhD, and more than forty workshops.
Everyone is welcome.
You might want to share your hotel room with your friend, or there are still Westin Peachtree Plaza hotel rooms available at the SDI rate.

A poem from the beloved poet, Mary Oliver, in celebration of the Vernal Equinox. Pause, relish the changing season, in both the northern and southern hemispheres. "Are there trees near you / and does your own soul need comforting?"
Peace in all ways to you...

Such Singing in the Wild Branches
-- Mary Oliver

It was spring
and finally I heard him
among the first leaves—
then I saw him clutching the limb

in an island of shade
with his red-brown feathers
all trim and neat for the new year.
First, I stood still

and thought of nothing.
Then I began to listen.
Then I was filled with gladness—
and that's when it happened,

when I seemed to float,
to be, myself, a wing or a tree—
and I began to understand
what the bird was saying,

and the sands in the glass
stopped
for a pure white moment
while gravity sprinkled upward

like rain, rising,
and in fact
it became difficult to tell just what it was that was singing—
it was the thrush for sure, but it seemed

not a single thrush, but himself, and all his brothers,
and also the trees around them,
as well as the gliding, long-tailed clouds
in the perfectly blue sky— all, all of them

were singing.
And, of course, yes, so it seemed,
so was I.
Such soft and solemn and perfect music doesn't last

for more than a few moments.
It's one of those magical places wise people
like to talk about.
One of the things they say about it, that is true,

is that, once you've been there,
you're there forever.
Listen, everyone has a chance.
Is it spring, is it morning?

Are there trees near you,
and does your own soul need comforting?
Quick, then— open the door and fly on your heavy feet; the song
may already be drifting away.

— Mary Oliver, "Such Singing in the Wild Branches"
     Owls and Other Fantasies: Poems and Essays, Beacon Press, Boston, 2003, pp. 8-9

Do you know the feeling of being sick, beyond control, when your body takes over and does what your body needs to do to get rid of an illness? In bed with the flu this week, I have learned from my body more about losing control, about being present to chaos, about choosing to be in solidarity with my body and so many other bodies around the world.

I am convinced I am at home in bed so that my focus can be more on prayer and contemplation, sending healing hope to the workers at the nuclear plant, love to the Cote Ivorian women swaying tree branches of peace, courage to the people finding their voices in Bahrain, Libya, and Milwaukee, and solidarity with the mourning for so many dead. 

Please join me in taking a moment to pray with and for this Japanese Self Defense Force soldier, who prays as he removes the body of an earthquake and tsunami victim.

Together we pray on this one week anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and the one month anniversary of the earthquake in New Zealand. I feel particularly connected to and grateful for our connection as spiritual companions around the world and across traditions. Our prayers, meditations, and contemplative practices matter.

This animated short video illustrates how waves from the tsunami move and the power of their course. Perhaps our prayers are like these waves of energy, especially when our prayers join with prayers of others for peace, for well-being, for healing. 

In silence, as a global learning community of Spiritual Directors International we pray in solidarity, responding to great suffering, creating an immense wave of love and comfort to every being in need.

Peace be with you,
Liz Ellmann, MDiv
Executive Director, Spiritual Directors International

Labyrinth, The Circle of Wisdom, at Minoh, Japan

In an e-mail, SDI member Rev. Dr. Masaaki F. Shibano [Osaka, Japan] writes:

Dear friends,

I am so grateful for your encouragement and heartfelt prayers for the people in Japan who have been injured physically and wounded spiritually by this destruction of the earthquake, tsunami and the nuclear leakage, and who have lost their families, friends and houses, everything.

Since then, everyday I have listened to and talked with my friends over there as much as possible and sending water, food and things that they need now. But it is not easy to send the packages as the high ways and bullet trains do not work well yet.

I heard this morning that approximately ten thousands of people were killed so far. Probably it will be much more than that. 

Right now people are helping each other in those areas, and many rescue teams from many other countries  are working to help the people. It is amazing commitments and devotions for us.

Moreover, it is a precious fact of sharing and showing of human true nature that without any turmoil nor violence the people care for others and help each other, not just for themselves only, but for others who need help and spiritual support.

During these days I see how God works in the midst of  these disasters, and what God wants us to do now.

Although it is a huge disaster beyond imagination, the birds are coming back soon, and will be singing for us.
They will sing for us to praise for the God; the Creator, the Sustainer, and the Savior, who is the source of our lives.

I am praying for the God and the God's children and the God's angels who are one together always.

Praying for the people here in Japan, New Zealand, and Chile, and also all the people who are suffering all over the world, and for the Earth itself, the beautiful planet, to be one with us; to be within us, and for us to be within it.

Blessings and love for all,
Masaaki

Rev. Dr. Masaaki F. Shibano, Life Process Care Center, Japan

Kindly join with Spiritual Directors International to offer prayer--wherever and however your tradition and heart guide you.

To understand the world
knowledge is not enough,
you must
   see it,
      touch it
         live in its presence
         and drink the vital heat
         of existence in the very heart
            of reality.
                                   -- Brendan O'Malley

Please add your prayer to this post. Together we are cultivating compassion.

Click the link below to respond. Your prayer or comment will post within 24 hours.

Women tell stories through song and action.

Watch "A Woman's Place" video by singer-songwriter Sara Thomsen from Minnesota, USA. Celebrate women of every age and culture on the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day.

"A Woman's Place"
by singer-songwriter Sara Thomsen

I am a woman, and my place is in the home
And my home is the whole wide world
We are world shapers, we are change makers
We are potters spinning clay, we are dreamers of a new day

We are asking questions, we are opening up the door
We are searching, finding answers,
We are wisdom seeking more
Rabbi, singer, teacher, professor, poet, preacher
Driving buses, styling hair
We are everywhere

We are women
We are sweeping the hearth
We are dreaming in the dark
We are weaving at the loom
We are the rhythms of the moon
We are world shapers, we are change makers
We are tenders of the earth, we are women giving birth

We are packing lunches,
We are sewing the clothes you wear
We are sleeping on park benches,
We are kneeling down in prayer
Doctor, dancer, scientist, carpenter and journalist
Telling stories, rocking chairs
We are everywhere

We are women
We are stirring the pot
We are keeping the fire hot
We are holding a child's hand
We are the rhythms of the land
We are world shapers, we are change makers
We are potters spinning clay, we are dreamers of a new day

We are laughing, crying, we are taking the time to play
We are singing, we are sighing,
We are making our own way
Politician, volunteer, refugee, and engineer
In the streets and on the air
We are everywhere

We are world shapers, we are change makers
We are potters spinning clay, we are dreamers of a new day
We are rule breakers, we are home makers
We are healers of the earth
We are mid-wives at the birth

We are women, and our place is in the home
And our home is the whole wide world

(c) 2006 Sara Thomsen
(from her Everything Changes CD)

What is evoked in you when you listen and reflect on "A Woman's Place" and the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day? Please share your stories by adding a comment.

Shift Happens

I walked across the street in the rain to get a cup of coffee. After stirring the cream in my coffee, I saw that some cream had dripped to the floor and against the waste basket.

I noticed the witness in me pause and choose. There was a pause. Contemplative practice helps us notice the pauses when we can choose the next action, rather than let the next action choose us.

Once upon a time I would have seen if anyone were looking and cleaned up for their kudos.

Once upon another time I would have seen if anyone were looking and quickly walked away, as if I didn’t notice the cream on the floor.

Today, I witnessed myself cleaning up the cream, as if the floor had asked me to make it clean again. Did the coffee shop need me today? Did I need the coffee shop today?

In Tom Shadyac’s new film called I AM: the Shift is about to Hit the Fan, Tom tells his story of waking up to a shift that happened to him after a tragic bicycle accident. He was forced to pause from his career as he recovered. The pause created a shift that moved him away from living in Hollywood luxury while directing crazy comedies like Bruce Almighty and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective toward creating a documentary that connects science and spirituality by interviewing luminaries like Desmond Tutu and Noam Chomsky. Now Tom lives simply in a trailer park, riding his bicycle to work. His talent as a successful movie director is inviting mainstream moviegoers to pause and reflect on the actions we might take next on behalf of humanity and the environment.

Tom came to Seattle, Washington, USA for the film launch (pictured above) and met hundreds of mostly university students who showed up for the opening. During the question and answer period after the film, Tom listened intently to students’ concerns about the environment and how to find meaningful work. My favorite moment was when a student—way in the back of the theatre—raised her hand up high. When Tom called on her, she relinquished her turn to another younger woman who had patiently been holding up her unnoticed hand for a very long time. Her generous gesture caused Tom to pause with a big grin, as if the universe were affirming his choice of new work. The collective joy in his pause filled up the whole theatre.

Reflect

• What is your experience with pausing before action?
• How does the contemplative practice of meeting regularly with a spiritual director help you pause?

Please share your thoughts and comments.

A Spiritual Conspiracy

On the surface of our world right now
There is war, violence, and craziness
And things may seem dark.
 
But calmly and quietly
At the same time
Something is happening underground.
 
An inner revolution is taking place
And certain individuals
Are being called to a higher light.
 
It is a silent revolution
From the inside out
From the ground up.
 
This is a global co-operation
That has sleeper cells in every nation.
It is a planetary Spiritual Conspiracy.
 
You won't likely see us on T.V.
You won't read about us in the newspaper.
You won't hear from us on the radio.
 
We don't seek glory.
We don't wear any uniform.
We come in all shapes and sizes, colors and styles.
 
We are in every country and culture of the world
In cities big and small, mountains and valleys
In farms and villages, tribes and remote islands.
 
Most of us work anonymously
Seeking not recognition of name
But profound transformation of life.
 
Working quietly behind the scenes
You could pass by one of us on the street
And not even notice.
 
We go undercover
Not concerned for who takes the final credit
But simply that the work gets done.
 
Many of us may seem to have normal jobs.
But behind the external storefront
Is where the deeper work takes a place.
 
With the individual and collective power
Of our minds and hearts
We spread passion, knowledge, and joy to all.
 
Some call us the Conscious Army
As together
We co-create a new world.
 
Our orders come from the Spiritual Intelligence Agency
Instructing us to drop soft, secret love bombs
when no one is looking.
 
We each express ourselves
In our own unique ways
With our own unique gifts and talents.
 
"Be the change you want to see in the world"
That is the motto that fills our hearts.
We know this is the path to profound transformation.
 
We know that quietly and humbly
Individually and collectively
We have the power of all the oceans combined.
 
At first glance our work is not even visible.
It is slow and meticulous
Like the formation of mountains.
 
And yet with our combined efforts
Entire tectonic plates
Are being shaped and moved for centuries to come.
 
Love is the religion we come to share
And you don't need to be highly educated
Or have exceptional knowledge to understand it
 
Love arises from the intelligence of the heart
Embedded in the timeless evolutionary pulse
Of all living beings.
 
Be the change you want to see in the world.
Nobody else can do it for you.
Yet don't forget, we are all here supporting you.
 
We are now recruiting.
Perhaps you will join us
Or already have.
 
For in this spiritual conspiracy
All are welcome, and all are loved.
The door is always open.

-- Brian Piergrossi

Brian Piergrossi offers SDI this poem, from his book, The Big Glow: Insight, Inspiration, Peace and Passion. Thank you Brian!

Please offer your thoughts and comments in a reply.