Compassion in the Heat of Conflict: Meditations to Help Us Practice Understanding Amid Division

In meditation we can develop new habits of mind by quietly reflecting on positive, realistic ways of seeing others. Join us for a morning meditation workshop to learn how.

Focusing on our differences instead of what we have in common, we create enemies. If we are waiting for other people to change their opinions, their habits, and their views before we accept them as friends, we will be waiting forever, embittered by our own lack of understanding.

Compassion is a virtuous, intelligent mind that understands the suffering of others and deeply wishes for their freedom and happiness. It is not an easy mind to develop because we are more familiar with the habit of judging or rejecting others than the habit of accepting the truth: They are just like me. They just want to be free from every type of suffering and problem. They just want to experience happiness. And just like me, they haven’t got a clue how to do this! We are more the same than we are different!