It can be said that not all people have an intrinsic ability for empathy and compassion, and it is fair enough to say that people are unable to relate to a pain they cannot comprehend or understand.
To cultivate empathy, we must seek to understand the other person; and to actualise compassion – we must open our hearts and care enough to help ease the pain of another through connection.
We are unable to connect with others if we are living from our egos – as our ego is there to identify the ways in which we are separate from others. In order to cultivate compassion, we must identify the ways in which we are the same – and I believe this – connection – is what would change the world.
We live in a world where every person is run by their ego in certain moments – which we must remember, we are only human. Nevertheless, after those moments have passed, we can all choose to make a choice and do things differently – whether it is via an apology or to go back and make practical changes where possible; or we can continue living our lives not caring – the choice is ours.
We cannot experience true connection without allowing ourselves to experience vulnerability. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable and share our deepest forms of pain with others, we give them exposure to who we really are. This scares many people – and it used to scare me too.
When we push our egos to the side and share our pain, we are giving people an opportunity to possibly use that against us – so when we look at society, many people have been warned against doing so. As a result, some people have been led to live their lives with their guard up to prevent further pain – but also preventing themselves from experience true connection and more importantly – true healing from the past.
Many people may not want to understand the person who’s caused them pain – because it’s easier to hold onto the pain and anger rather than showing any vulnerability. But what they fail to acknowledge is that by holding on to the pain and choosing not to forgive, they are only hurting themselves and preventing themselves from experiencing peace.
It is through empathy that we are able to understand why someone may have hurt us. It is only through vulnerability that we are able to form deep, meaningful connections and relationships with other people.
Vulnerability of our pain is the most real thing in this world. To be vulnerable may not even have anything to do with sharing your pain with anyone – I’m not asking you to shout out on rooftops about how you’re hurting or have previously been hurt – just to acknowledge it within yourself.
When we can be honest and vulnerable with ourselves by identifying the times when we felt (or caused) immense pain, we have formed the stepping stones in order to cultivating empathy and compassion.
Inner Truth Gym 