Alexander… Compassion as a choice?

Hi Alexander,

You said: For me, what you say is true except what you say about compassion not being a choice. I can choose to love myself or to be another way with myself.

I believe we were talking about compassion here but the feeling of love would also apply. Let’s move on to a few real examples.

As I was walking out of my apartment building today early in the morning, there was a young sick pigeon right in front of the entrance hardly moving (poisoned). He didn’t react to me touching him at all and just looked at me and moved slightly like a chick who doesn’t want to be disturbed. The feelings that came were very strong and I moved him to the side into safety so he won’t be ran over or stepped on. He would die soon- I knew it and he knew it but I felt like something inside of me died with him at that moment.

Another example.

I was passing in a subway and saw a really old woman standing with her hand out asking for money. She was very skinny and with her gentle soft voice she kept repeating ‘Please… Please’. I could feel her life passing before my eyes and the end of it, full of pain and disappointments. She was only one of many old people just like her, poor and hungry, and trying to survive. A lot of people connected with her and gave her money. So did I. As she took it, I saw so much fear in her eyes and being uncomfortable about the whole thing. For a second I was her begging for money. I felt the pain, the pain of being not wanted and useless to the point you are at the mercy of complete strangers. Could it be worst then death? That dying pigeon may be in fact the lucky one here.

These two examples may show how feelings related to heart will come unannounced triggered by ordinary events in your daily life. Spiritual path trains us to notice subtle things and connect to others in a very intimate way just like we have learned to do it within ourselves. In this way the next time you touch someone close to you, you will merge with them completely and look through their eyes. That little bird was dying and I was dying along with it. The second later the whole experience was gone and life went on. You don’t cling to the experience and the feelings- you let them come and go as they are related to the experiences. You don’t choose the feelings within your heart- you let them flow through you. In the natural effortless flow you experience life as is.