Compassion in the Chaos

All of the major religions place importance on compassion. Compassion means “to suffer with” another. The stronger and healthier I get, the more capacity I have to be compassionate with others. Today, I am feeling the need to be compassionate with myself, to give myself time to feel and embrace the chaos inside of me. My feelings are borne out of the collective state we are all in, but the inner chaos arises from my own reactions. I know in my head that I cannot control what others do that lead to divisiveness and devaluation of integrity and respect for others. The lack of ethics in our country permeates the news, the entertainment industry, the White House, and ultimately our souls. I also know that I cannot personally stop the senseless violence that continues in our country, with yet another mass shooting unleashed on innocent people, this time in a small, rural town in central Texas.
 
My heart wants to cry out for justice, and yet my voice struggles to find a way to be heard. In Scripture, Jesus invites us into a relationship with him and with God so that “our joy may be complete”—yes, that is what we seek but getting there is the difficult journey.
 
Here’s what we can do:

1. Sit in silence and quiet the mind. As the yogis teach, energy follows thought. We can go back into the inner cave, the cave of the heart, and ask for guidance to release what we cannot change and to embrace intuition and wisdom to let go of what isn’t ours to hold on to anyway. In the silence, I remember that it is well. I am free so long as I allow myself to be free.
2. Move the body. Yoga helps us to get grounded again back into what we CAN control. As we move, we release the tensions we hold in our bodies. We are on the way to well-being in this moment.
3. Breathe.  When we breathe mindfully, we quiet the mind, taming the emotions.  We are not our emotions, but we often attach to them as if we are them. Inhale, Hold, Exhale, Hold. Continue this slow, deliberate breath, and watch as the emotions float away, and we become less affected by their grip.
4. Trust. The ultimate sense of well-being comes when we trust the Divine Presence to guide us.  We listen deeply within for intuition and sense of direction. God shows us the way.

 
Today, for me, it is easier said than done. Today, I begin again, like every day. Reconnecting with the divine in my body, my breath, and in the silence of my heart gives me strength and purpose to walk alongside others, trusting that together our voices will indeed make a difference for healing, one heart and body at a time.
 
Peace, namaste,
Gena+
 
The Reverend Gena Davis
Episcopal priest, yoga educator, author, spiritual director, founder of YogaMass®