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    • The Compassion Cure

      by Amy Leigh Mercree

      (Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

      Imagine this scenario: You're walking down a street and you pass a person sitting on a park bench. You can see, even from the distance, in this person's posture that says something is a little off. As you get closer, you see the person is slouching over and sobbing.

      What do you feel? Perhaps you feel the tug on your heartstrings, and the empathy towards this person immediately enters your emotional being. But what do you do? What you do next is the difference between feeling empathy and sharing a moment of compassion.

      So many of us feel all the feels, but rarely do we act upon it. When you see that person on that park bench, do you pause and then keep walking? Or do you pause, take a seat next to the person, and wish them a good day? Or perhaps offer a listening ear to a stranger? To what extent would you offer yourself as a beacon of support to another being?

      Acts of compassion are rooted in a more sensitive state of mind and act as an extension of empathy. Compassion in action is the impetus to go beyond the initial emotional experience, and act toward positive change in a situation in which you feel so moved. Whether it's something small like holding the door for an elderly person, or something large like starting a non-profit organization in the name of something you care about, compassion can come in many different shapes and forms.

      The seeds of compassion extend through all life forms; from the tiniest insect to the largest animal, compassion is widespread throughout the entire animal kingdom. There are may stories of animals helping one another from dolphins, to alligators, to elephants. The possibility of compassion extends beyond humans into all sentient beings.

      Let's take a look at the role of compassion, the energy behind it, and how to develop a daily practice towards being a compassionate being.

      The Origins of Bodhisattva
      Bodhisattva is the Sanskrit term for a person motivated by great compassion. Oftentimes, this person is on a pathway towards enlightenment and is actively finding deeper, stronger, and more frequent acts of compassion.

      Buddha is thought of as the original Bodhisattva, as he was the epitome of kindness and selflessness. Those who follow in Buddha's steps and path are known as Bodhisattvas.

      Maybe we aren't exactly all the next Buddha or Bodhisattvas. However, there has been a huge rise in the practice of yoga in the Western world, bringing with it a heightened awareness around the absolute necessity of compassion.

      In any given yoga or meditation class, you might hear a very popular chant that encompasses the prayer and dedication of compassion:

      "Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bavantu: May all beings everywhere live happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all."

      Feminine Energy and the Goddess Tara
      Our subtle and emotional bodies, which are located in our physical structures, are made up of different types of energies. The two biggest energy forces are the yin and yang of it all—the masculine and the feminine.

      Masculine energy rules processes like willfulness, work ethic, and structure. Feminine energy, however, is the driving force behind empathy (as stated earlier, the fuel for compassion).

      So when the two come together, an interesting and unique force develops into a virtuous liberation. Typically, a Bodhisattva is a male, following in Buddha's footsteps. Yet the Goddess Tara, the most notable female Bodhisattva, is the representative of the embodiment of compassion. Known as "The Mother of Liberation," she represents the willful drive of empathy into action, creating compassion through work and achievement. Whether "Tara" is an actual female person or just a representative conjured up in the ideas mixed together in Hinduism and Buddhism to create a feminine representation of this energy force, it is believed that she hears the cries of pain and suffering and offers mercy, warmth, strength, and a lifeline away from enduring pain.

      Daily Practices of Compassion
      We can look at Goddess Tara as a representative of the mother that plants the seeds of development toward compassion. And just like Tara, our own Earth provides a feminine energy and transformative platform for that compassion to bud and grow.

      You don't have to run out and save the world to be considered compassionate. Small steps in your everyday life can develop compassion, which will bud and grow along the way.

      • Stop and Smell the Flowers
        It's an age-old saying to encourage people to slow down and take in life in the moment. Being present creates the space to accept and receive each other and what's around all of us all the time. But when you literally stop to smell the flowers, you are providing life force for yourself as well as another living being. Flowers give off oxygen, and we give off carbon dioxide. While it's not necessarily a one-to-one ratio in the oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, giving a little extra breath to a flower gives it more life and sustainability. And you get to take a moment to embrace its beauty. This moment of pause and exchange builds towards compassion through elements of connection and appreciation for other beings.
      • Hold the Door
        The next time you're out, try holding the door for someone else. That person might receive that and immediately send it off to someone else, as you may have heightened their attitude. You never know what someone's going through….something so small such as opening a door for him or her may just be that extra little piece to make sun shine bright in their life.
      • Send a Smile
        Perhaps the easiest and fastest way to share compassion is to just simply smile at someone. Humans have a natural tendency to smile back when smiled at—help someone turn that frown upside down. It's the easiest form of compassion there is.
      • Give a Compliment
        Telling someone that they look nice may not seem compassionate, but by paying a compliment, you are lightening a person's heart, even if he or she may not realize it. So many of us carry so much on our hearts and shoulders, that we often take it out on ourselves. Give a person a little space to breathe by saying something that will make them feel appreciated.
      • Breathe In, Breathe Out: A Daily Mantra
        Even if you've never even stepped foot in a yoga class, the mantra mentioned earlier is a wonderful way to start your day, and sends out the energy to the world and space around you that you truly and selflessly wish for everyone to have peace, joy, and freedom.
        As you start your day, take a moment to repeat the words:

        "Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bavantu: May all beings everywhere live happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all."

      And to you, an arbiter of empathy and strength, may you continue to find daily moments along the way, recognize them, integrate them, and give devotion to the selfless compassion in your heart and being.

      Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2017. All rights reserved.

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    • Do Same Ethics for Readings Apply to Psychics Themselves?

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      There are a lot of things that we psychics would never do for clients because they might be considered unethical, such as reading about a third party, “fortune telling” (which is illegal in some places), telling someone directly if another person is lying to them or cheating on them, etc. I’m wondering, however, if many of us who would not do these sorts of things for clients would do them for ourselves or other psychics/friends.

      Just wildly curious!

      Johnnie

      Johnnie, this is a great question and one I am truly glad you asked. I can’t speak for any other psychic – I can only speak for myself. So please know that this answer is only on how I personally do things. It does not make me right or wrong, it is just my personal ethical code.

      I would never do anything for myself or for a friend that I would not do for a client. My ethical code is the same all the way down the line. If you come see me for a reading, you get the same effort and methods as my best friend gets in her readings. I personally will not invade anyone’s privacy. If something involves or affects you, then I can tell you about it. Someone lying to you, cheating on you, or in any other way mistreating you is most assuredly your business. How someone is thinking and feeling about you, except in rare cases where we are not allowed to see, most definitely involves you.

      What I will not look at is how someone feels or thinks about someone else, such as how an ex feels about a new love, what someone is doing when they are not with you (providing it is not in some way damaging to you) or what someone will give you as a present, etc. I cannot see when someone is going to die, unless it is shown to me. I cannot see who you will marry when you have not even come close to meeting that person, as free will plays such a huge hand in that decision and your future.

      This brings me to the subject of “spells.” I am very leery about recommending any kind of spell to a client, because I feel that love spells or any other spell that is intended to change a person’s mind or path is seriously messing with that person’s free will. I think that is incredibly dangerous, for the same will be done to us in return.

      Speaking of which, I would like to take a moment to discuss free will. Often clients expect a psychic to be able to tell them everything. Free will absolutely determines the outcomes of situations, so oftentimes, they just can’t be predicted. For example, there are times when it is impossible to tell how another person is going to react, because that person is still in decision mode. Also, there are times when a psychic sees things as happening one way, but someone changes their mind and changes the outcome. The psychic cannot predict nor foresee a change of mind. That is free will and God gave it to us all. Take that into account when determining what you expect from your psychic.

      I think we all should all live by a moral code of harming no one. If something could harm someone in any way, do not do it.  Period.

      I wish you power-full readings.

      *****

      Astrea:

      I don’t consider it unethical to tell someone any of the things you mention. Day after day, people ask me if their partners are cheating, and I give honest answers no matter how unpleasant it is for me to say and for the other person to hear. Over the years I have learned that when someone asks if someone is cheating, something is always wrong. Sometimes the person asking is the cheater, looking for an easy way out of the relationship. They try to find something to blame the other person for, or they hope they have found someone else so they can justify breaking up. I look at my cards, they tell me the answer, and I respond as honestly as I can.

      I believe in telling the truth about everything, including when someone is lying to my client. I read about third parties every day too. Everyone wants to know about their loved ones’ feelings for them, and while I won’t bother to explain here how no one can tell what someone else is thinking, most experienced readers can tell what other people are feeling.

      The challenge for an honest reader is trying to find a compassionate way to deliver bad news when it comes up. If someone I’m reading for is lying or cheating, that’s a fairly easy thing for me to see with my cards. Sometimes, however, we have to be direct and even cruel to be kind. If my client is running the risk of pain or heartbreak, and that person comes to me with a sincere desire to know, how could I not tell them the truth?

      There are a couple of places where I draw the line, and of course, no one can get everything for everyone. If someone asks when someone else is going to die, I can’t answer that. If someone asks about an illness, I try to steer that person to the right kind of medical help. I don’t want to be responsible for someone else’s life or health. Some clients want so much to believe that we “see all,” but we have to be clear that we can’t see everything. We’re not gods, and people’s free will can change any outcome in seconds.

      I have many clients who are psychic, who can’t read for themselves at all. (I can’t read for myself either.) Whether they’re psychic or not, all my clients expect me to be able to cut through the nonsense and get to the point. If I had to watch what I say, I couldn’t do any readings at all.

      Clients who come to us pay to get answers. They get them from me if they ask direct questions. If I am not completely truthful, I will lose my ability, and I can’t do that just to cover for a cheater or a liar! I tell the truth to everyone who asks. Otherwise, there is no point in readings in the first place.

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