This is the first of my Twelve Nights of Christmas postings and I've decided to begin each of them with a sentence or two contributed by the creator of the cards, artist Penelope Clement. I'll then follow with my own thoughts, which aren't guaranteed to completely flow with Penny's but hopefully will leave you some room to protract your own opinions.
We begin with Penny:
Very appropriate. The Christ impulse arrives at Christmas which is about compassionate love - moving past our self-serving love to genuine care and connection with others. Also a strong female energy showing mastery on the emotional level. The cards start and end with a strong female voice which needs to be heard as we move into the new era of human evolution. -Penelope Clement
When I look at this card I see Giving and Receiving. The figure is pouring the contents of one cup into another. Is she pouring out of her cup or into it? The first action implies selflessness, the second, selfishness.
In many ways, I feel that Compassion has become as commercialized as Christmas. It is the emotion or sense of moral obligation that's courted by every human, environmental and animal rights organization in order to raise funds. I've often wondered about the depth of my Compassion though, when I feel sorry for the pigs in a slaughterhouse and despise the ones digging up my vegetable garden. And how can I be Compassionate towards a victim of a war torn Congo and dispassionate towards an unkempt person conversing with a fire hydrant in my own town? It sounds more like selective empathy.
Granted, a teaspoon of Compassion is better than none and as I saunter into another year in this physical body, I want to cultivate Compassion in the following three ways:
- Upon waking, when my outlook is fresh and untainted, I want to give thanks to Three Things in my life that I truly appreciate. I'll write them down in a little book by my bedside and start the day with gratitude.
- Find three things (people,places or objects) that appear in the news each day around the world, to send positive,healing wishes. I want to search for items to bless, as opposed to dreading the news to sift through.
- Throughout the day, whenever I have the urge to judge someone's actions,opinions or appearance, I want to be able to acknowledge our connection and appreciate their presence in my life.
Energetically, I think I would contribute so much more with those three actions than my tax deductible dollars. Yet if I could combine them, dollars and thoughts, that would be...well, priceless.
How about you? How do you feel about Compassion and its importance in your life?
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About my 12 Nights of Christmas.
Artwork: Penelope Clement