Compassion does not exist outside of us. It’s not a concept we can access through rational thought or philosophizing. It’s an innate force within each and every one of us. It is unwavering love and protection for life, or the courage of our shared heart. When we turn toward rather than away from that which we perceive as dark, difficult, or absent of light, then our compassion is unlocked. Compassion is found in being willing to venture beyond our comfort zones and walk through the portals of discomfort, pain, and vulnerability for ourselves or another.
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From Luminous Darkness: An Engaged Buddhist Approach to Embracing the Unknown by Deborah Eden Tull © 2022 by Deborah Eden Tull. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc. Boulder, CO.