Practicing Active Compassion

There is a term in Buddhism, Karuna, that is an active empathetic response to the suffering of others. Karuna recognizes that we are all connected, that your suffering is my suffering, and it moves us to act to help alleviate that suffering. Karuna is active compassion.

This week, I witnessed this active compassion take shape several times. Two very different actions stood out:

Action #1
Earlier this week, our city council shared that the federal government is showing interest in building an ICE detention facility. A defense contractor was inquiring about land at the local airport that is currently leased from the city to the federal government. The Coast Guard kept their rescue operations there, including a helicopter, and that operation was discretely moved several hours south. That, along with much other evidence, made it clear this was not just a rumor.

I applaud the council members for their transparency, and because of it, nearly a thousand people turned up or Zoom’d in to the special meeting to voice their concern. Over two hours of (two minute) statements from locals, made a big impact. This was active compassion – for the fishing boat workers who rely on the rescue helicopter in the dangerous work that they do, and for the folks who are just trying to support their families and who may be taken into custody by an ICE agent for no other reason but the color of their skin or their accent. A statement from a sixteen year old brought everyone to tears as she recounted how her family has suffered because her dad was taken away.

For now, our action has brought about real results, as the contractor has withdrawn interest. That is not to say we are out of the woods, we just don’t know. According to Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, “the federal government continues to refuse to share their plans with the public.” And then there are all the other locations, hundreds of them, that are currently in operations. What about them?

Action #2
Just the other day, we were in a local hardware store and heard the tiny mew of a kitten. When we asked about it, the folks at the counter said that this kitten showed up just that morning, wet and muddy and with two broken legs. Apparently someone had dropped it over the fence. I asked what now? One of the staff spoke up and said he was going to take it home, clean it up, feed it and take it to the veterinarian’s clinic. He said every time he thought about it, it brought tears to his eyes – not what you’d expect just by looking at him.

As human beings, we want to be compassionate, and we can cultivate compassion through meditation, especially lovingkindness meditation. As human beings we can be actively compassionate, and knowing how to do that is not always easy. Here are some ways, no matter what your beliefs, how you can show compassion to others:

• Practice active listening, without judgment. That means no checking your phone, no eating a meal, no multi-tasking, just listening.
• Don’t interrupt. And when it’s your turn to speak, do so thoughtfully and with kindness.
• Offer your help to someone in need, but don’t force that help. Allow others their dignity.
• Be patient. If someone is moving a little slower than you would like, take it as an opportunity to slow down yourself. And be grateful for your mobility.
• Volunteer your time often. There are many, many opportunities to get involved with an organization that helps others and that speaks to you. Choose just one.
• Check on neighbors who are homebound.
• Look for small opportunities to brighten someone’s day. And be mindful of what that might look like. As an introvert, I used to hear many times, “smile, it’s not that bad.” Really I was just thinking deeply about something, but it really may be just that bad for someone at that time. That is seldom a helpful comment.

The bottom line to all this is practice empathy and compassion when you interact with others. And do so without judgment, without trying to figure out their story. Take action without expectation. As you practice this on a daily basis, it soon becomes your default. And that’s how we create a more compassionate world.