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2.3 | What have you learned from / observed in your stance of common humanity / compassion for others practice?
Below, you will see the Session #2 reflection questions. Please answer these questions at the bottom of the screen.
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42 Replies
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This is a practice that has always come naturally and easily for me (as a Theravadan Buddhist raised in Bangkok). I find that when I’m stressed, it all goes out the window. However, as I get older, even WHEN I’m stressed, some of it “stays in the house” when some goes out the window- so I’m learning. I speak explicitly about common humanity more and more in my guided meditations, fueled by the teachings from this and other courses.
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I have become more flexible with myself and others. Developing love for all sentient beings also helps me to recognize my own human condition and the nature of suffering. These practices create a sense of belonging and grounding, which are very important for me as an immigrant who lives alone in a big city.
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Again, I feel less lonely. Its been refreshing and healing to feeling the sensation of connection despite being separated by space and time from my friends and loved ones.
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I think I answered in reply to 2.6
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I am learning that my compassion for myself is in direct relation to my compassion for others. I am a giver and use up my resources. The metta practice for people I have difficulty with was terrible at first but now I force myself to do it and it gets easier.
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I often find that having compassion for others is much easier than having compassion for myself. I appreciated the common humanity lens and It was a good reminder to put myself in other peoples shoes or imagine all the reasons that they might be acting the way they do. Of course, I find it easier to do with people who feel uncomplicated, and more challenging with those who I find to be somewhat difficult.
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I think I’ve been helped along by listening better. There have been times where I’ve focused on how a situation affects me, or that I feel I have had a harder time in a particular comparative situation. It’s been eye-opening to hear the other person, whom I assume had it “easy” reflect that they also had difficulties. I think that helped me extrapolate to other situations where even if it wasn’t said explicitly, becomes a plausible explanation for what seems like inconsiderate behavior.
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It reinforced what I have come to appreciate over the last few years: that being patient, kind, supportive and yet clear with oneself and others is probably the most fertile environment for contentedness to happen. It does not come “easy” but it is possible, and at each occurrence it reinforces the notion that it is a good thing.
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I feel a deep sense of collective sadness for humanity. I also feel more flexible, am taking things more slowly, and overall feeling a deeper sense of acceptance.
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I have found this powerful and emotional as a practice. It is beneficial to me in small ways (taking a stance of common humanity for others in traffic situations and thinking what they may be going through) but also in improving my compassion at work in terms of continually striving to think how others might feel talking to me as a leader and what else may be going on in their lives at the time we are meeting, particularly with the pandemic.
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our humanity is what connects us….we are all in this together…
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I am learning that I am much more pleasant to be around when I practice compassion for others. Reminding myself that common humanity shares my suffering and my suffering is not necessarily unique, helps me feel less alone and as if it is possible to overcome. Kristin Neffs book has been good on this subject so far.
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This is so much harder to do with masks! It truly is harder to connect with others when you can’t feel their full expression. Sometime if I’m having significant self-criticism, compassion for others gets me out of this more easily than for myself. I think seeing the humanity in others also helps me to realize everyone, just like me, has struggles. I can view my own challenges as an evolving part of the life experience and makes me feel more connected.
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I struggle to identify a person for whom I have difficulty right now, so my practice focussed mostly on the “neutral person.” I discovered a lightness and joy in cultivating genuine warmth and goodwill for specific people for whom I do not actually “know” ! 🙂
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What have you learned from / observed in your stance of common humanity / compassion for others practice?
By zooming out from my problem to a common problem among humanity, I feel less guilty about hurting my ankle. I feel less worried about the impacts, since I am not alone to carry on with injuries.
I can relate to underperformers and their struggles by remembering how I was in similar shoes when I was not promoted at the company for many years.
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