Compassion and strength are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are not even at odds. True compassion is rooted in carefully cultivated principles, universal love, and clear-eyed reason. This highest version of compassion both informs and enhances strength by imbuing it with righteousness, clarity, and drive. True strength, in the same way, is rooted in wisdom, self-discipline, and courage. This highest version of strength empowers compassion by providing it with the peace and security it needs to perform at the highest levels of efficacy, humaneness, and virtue.
“Eternity isn’t some later time. Eternity isn’t a long time. Eternity has nothing to do with time. Eternity is that dimension of the here and now which ‘thinking’ and ‘time’ block out. Understanding the relationship between mortality and something within you that is transcendent of mortality is the big job. The experiencing of eternity – right here and now – is the function of life.”
The Greek root of the word “enthusiasm” is enthousiazo. It literally translates to, “the essence of God lives within you.” When you tap into a feeling of pure enjoyment and enthusiasm for something, anything – an activity, an experience, a person, or just for this extraordinary gift of being alive and awake – you are by that very act connecting your inner spirit with the Creative Spirit of the Universe. That is, your own individual flow of positive energy has the ability to become a conduit for the endless wellspring of positive energy contained within the Universe. What an amazing and inspiring revelation!
The scruffy little rescue kitten above is named Enzo. I am told that he was named after the creator of Ferrari, but I found the fact that his name shares the first two letters and the last two letters with the word “enthousiazo” to be a delightful coincidence. Kittens provide us with such a wonderful window into a pure “living in the moment” state of mind. All animals, in fact, show us, just by being themselves, what it means to exist in an abundant state of natural enthusiasm. And, if we are paying attention, we just might also be reminded that we too have full access to this Essence of God within our own selves, any time we desire it, if only we choose to seek it out.
“When a grasshopper sits on a blade of grass, it has no thought of separation, resistance, or blame. Children seem to prefer dragonflies whose wings and bellies are as red as chili peppers. But the green grasshopper blends completely with the green grass, and children rarely notice it. It neither retreats nor beckons. It knows nothing of philosophy or ideals. It is simply grateful for its ordinary life. Dash across the meadow, my dear friend.”
“Just imagine becoming the way you used to be… before you understood the meaning of any word, before opinions took over your mind. The real you is loving, joyful, and free. The real you is just like a flower, just like the wind, just like the ocean, just like the sun.”
Satori Circle | Art & Culture 