Cultivating Compassion Through ‘I Am That’ Thinking
This post is a creative approach to exploring the paradox of judging what we are, or limiting ourselves to a particular way of being. I know that many people find looking beyond the many aspects of what we are to be a powerful way of cultivating awareness through the you are not what presents itself inside of you approach.
I think that an equally powerful practice that is sometimes overlooked is totally embracing every role you’ve ever played and every archetype you’ve ever embodied.
Whatever your view, it is useful to compare these two modes of thinking, examine them side by side and switch modes from time to time. I feel that I have developed a deep compassion for myself and others by playing with this viewpoint and have found they both ultimately lead to the same place.
Awareness with a sense of humor.
This particular brand of I am that awareness started while I was listening to the radio (something I rarely do) while driving my daughter to preschool one day. A popular song written by Meredith Brooks in the nineties called, “Bitch”, came on.
I’m a bitch, I’m a tease
I’m a goddess on my knees
when you hurt, when you suffer
I’m your angel undercover
I’ve been numbed, I’m revived
can’t say I’m not alive
You know I wouldn’t want it any other way
Perhaps it seems like an unlikely place to find the inspiration for writing an article about compassion, but there it was…a song about the many roles we play within one life time. And it gets really interesting to me when I consider the roles that we embody over several.
I can take it out even one step further and examine the mythical roles we play as a race…the universal experience of the human being that has been evolving since we first became a part of the consciousness of this planet…this living organism. What story might unfold from that perspective?
Whether I’m a bitch, a goddess, a sinner, a saint, a mother, a teacher, a lover or a healer…it’s all part of the paradox within me which encompasses all things but is contained by none of them, it is intangible and undefinable because spirit communicates using channels that exist outside of judgment.
Emotions from the different approaches.
From the perspective of you are not that, you look at emotion and say, there it is…it is not me…it is simply a reaction to egoic or wrong thinking. It is information about what is happening inside of me. From this place of observation and acceptance the feeling wanes and you develop an altered state of consciousness.
From the perspective of I am that, you may look at rage and see yourself as Aries the god of war, or Chaos the father of destruction. Embrace that very male energy bringing it inside of you, channeling it to and from the very place of it’s origin and existence becoming it so completely…and accepting it so fully that the feeling transmutes into self awareness and a higher state of consciousness.
Whatever the approach, you land at the same place. So I find that when I approach something challenging from one perspective and it is not giving me the results I desire, that switching to the other mode often will.
Using the modes to connect with desired states.
I find both approaches very useful but I primarily use I am not that thinking when I want to enter a state of nothingness. When I want to channel specific energies I use archetypes.
I typically call on the Queen that I was in a past life for confidence and authority, I have a favorite goddess for sexual energy and usually I call on a combination of the mother goddess and the Virgin Mary for nurturing energies.
Christ consciousness is useful for inner peace, service and compassion under the many different forms and cultures through which it arises, bearing it’s hidden messages about life through nature…a message that is symbolized in each of the evergreen wreaths, boughs and trees that decorate our homes at this time of year.
Using the modes to access compassion.
So this holiday season when you are faced with someone whose beastly behavior is presenting you with an opportunity to grow, you have a few compassionate choices available in how you select to view them within the situation.
You can look for the spirit within, using the they are not their behaviors thinking, or you can jump right into beastliness with them and ride it to it’s creative Source and the very deepest levels of spiritual communication.
It is the process of using all that comes up for you as the mirror…knowing that you only see what you do in others because it is in your own consciousness, therefore you created it and so it is also within you.
At the Source level there is ever only one thing going on…the rest comes down to our judgments and interpretation
Both of these methods lift us out of judgment and make us more compassionate to ourselves and others which ultimately comes down to viewing each other outside of the lenses of separation.
Spread the love now!
Some of the greatest acts of compassion I have ever received have come from this non-judgmental space of connectedness.
One in particular that was extremely life altering came in the form of understanding that no matter what I did to chase my step-dad off, I could not make him abandon me. Up till then I had been left by every father I had ever known, he knew what it was like to be left by his parents and so he simply could not do it, no matter how hard I pushed him.
So when someone is really getting under my skin, one of my favorite practices is to fully and completely step into their way of being, knowing I’m about to take an exciting journey of discovery as I acknowledge what I see in them, breathe it in and say to myself…yep, I’m all that…and more!
Then I silently bless them with gratitude for the opportunity to integrate these aspects of my own consciousness, knowing the separation with which I viewed them previously was merely a reflection of my own divided internal state 
This holiday season…I wish you many opportunities to spread the love of your ever expanding awareness, opening to who and what you are and finding in the process that you are capable of throwing your arms around the world!
Note:
Thanks to the Three Monks – Wade of The Middle Way, Kenton of Zen-Inspired Self Development, and especially Albert of Urban Monk who by inviting me to participate in the Spread the Love Now! project, ultimately inspired me to get this post that had just been sitting there out to you fine folks!
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I know I just said the same thing on another blog, but… I wish I wasn’t a judge. What a beautiful post, thank you.
Comment by Albert | UrbanMonk.Net — December 22, 2007 @ 5:46 am
[…] Paula Kawal at Journey Inward Coaching. […]
Pingback by Spread the Love NOW! Group Writing Project » Personal Development - The Urban Monk — December 22, 2007 @ 5:53 am
I love this, Paula. How often this is overlooked! To get right in there and wiggle around with the emotions and archetypes which we often fear to see in ourselves and others . . .
Thank you!
Kenton
Comment by Kenton Whitman — December 22, 2007 @ 6:14 am
Hi Albert & Kenton!
Thanks for the wonderful idea of…Spreading the Love!
It’s sure to trigger a wave of compassion that starts with the blogging world and quickly spills into the lives of many!
Much love,
PK
Comment by Paula Kawal — December 22, 2007 @ 10:02 pm
Hi Paula,
Thanks for a very interesting, practical and enjoyable perspective on compassion.
Gassho,
Wade
http://themiddleway.net
Comment by Wade M | TheMiddleWay — December 23, 2007 @ 10:44 pm
Excellent tools and a great post Paula. Often we need a little help with working with compassion, most of the time it can be the hardest concept to personify. Just as a note, another great energy to call upon is that of Sekhmet from Egypt, not the warring angry one that Egyptologists will have you know, rather the powerful and loving one.
Gassho,
Kris
Comment by Kris — December 25, 2007 @ 9:33 am
Hey Wade! Thanks so much for starting this project along with Kenton & Albert!
It is great to hear from you!
And Kris, thanks so much for your kind words and your mention of Sekhmet…I haven’t tried working with the Egyptian gods much and your mention of them here has filled me with excitement to experiment
Much love,
PK
Comment by Paula Kawal — December 26, 2007 @ 9:25 am
Paula, thanks for recently reminding me that I am not my emotions. Love the art work that you shared with this article.
Comment by Patricia - Spiritual Journey Of A Lightworker — December 26, 2007 @ 11:55 pm
Hi Patricia!
You’re very welcome. I love this image too. It is Kwan Yin, also known as a Bodhisattva (a being of enlightenment) and the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion. Her lessons are to live simply and mindfully, taking good care of our bodies and our thoughts as well as our souls, so it makes perfect sense that she would find her way to this article
Much love,
PK
Comment by Paula Kawal — December 29, 2007 @ 10:01 am
Hi Paula,
Now you mention it’s her, I totally see it
A little bit more history on Kwan Yin, she is also known as Avalokiteshvara, who is also known as Chenzrig, who is known as the 14th incarnation of HH the Dalai Lama.
There’s a great koan on Kuan Yin, one that for me is constantly pointing to a how to act with compassion. It’s from the Kannon Fascicle of Master Dogen. The koan is how do the 10,000 hands and eyes of Kuan Yin operate/manifest in the world?
If you’d like a copy of the Koan, with published commentary, feel free to drop me a mail.
May all beings be happy, may all beings have peace.
Gassho,
Wade
http://themiddleway.net
Comment by Wade M | TheMiddleWay — December 29, 2007 @ 10:12 am
Hi Wade,
Thanks so much for all of this history! I learned quite a bit that I didn’t know!
I’d love a copy of the Koan…it sounds fascinating!
Much love,
PK
Comment by Paula Kawal — December 29, 2007 @ 1:21 pm
Paula,
A very timely read for me. Was just discussing archetypes earlier today, and this is definitely a nudge to move forward in that area.
Comment by Vitor - The Fractal Forest — December 31, 2007 @ 8:02 am
Wow Vitor!
It sounds as if you are definitely being nudged to move forward and learn about archetypes…considering what I just experienced with my grandmother. I don’t suggest ignoring the subtle communications of spirit
Much love to you,
PK
Comment by Paula Kawal — January 2, 2008 @ 9:42 am
[…] Edwards at Personal Growth with Corinne Edwards. Isabella Mori at Change Therapy. Paula Kawal at Journey Inward Coaching. Liara Covert at Dream Builders. David Bohl at Slow Down Fast. Deb Estep at Deb_Inside. Swami […]
Pingback by Spread the Love NOW! Group Writing Project — January 7, 2008 @ 3:30 pm
[…] Edwards at Personal Growth with Corinne Edwards. Isabella Mori at Change Therapy. Paula Kawal at Journey Inward Coaching. Liara Covert at Dream Builders. David Bohl at Slow Down Fast. Deb Estep at Deb_Inside. Swami […]
Pingback by Your Beliefs and Values: Compassion is a Verb | Slow Down Fast Today! ~ David B. Bohl — January 7, 2008 @ 4:05 pm
[…] Paula Kawal at Journey Inward Coaching. […]
Pingback by Update "Spread the Love NOW! Group Writing Project" | Beyond Zen... — January 8, 2008 @ 11:19 am
Hi Paula,
Congratulations! Out of the amazingly high quality results, your entry has been selected as a winning entry. Please e-mail me your postal details so we can get The Now Watch out to you.
Thanks again for entering, and congratulations.
Peace,
The Three Monks
http://urbanmonk.net (Albert)
http://kentonwhitman.com (Kenton)
http://themiddleway.net (Wade)
Comment by Wade M | TheMiddleWay — January 10, 2008 @ 2:40 am
[…] Cultivating Compassion Through “I Am That” Thinking […]
Pingback by kentonwhitman.com Zen-Inspired Self Development — January 10, 2008 @ 7:08 am
Thanks so much Albert, Wade and Kenton! I am still trying to process the great gift you have given to me through this contest as it is symbolic of something much deeper which I will blog about in detail soon
Again, my heart-felt gratitude and appreciation goes out to you all!
Much love,
PK
Comment by Paula Kawal — January 10, 2008 @ 10:20 am
Congratulations Paula
Kris
Comment by Kris — January 10, 2008 @ 10:31 am
Thank you Kris…I really loved your article about your Grandfather. The elders in our lives are such powerful teachers in all that they do.
Much love,
PK
Comment by Paula Kawal — January 10, 2008 @ 10:37 am
Congratulations, Paula.
Very nice–two very different perspectives, both leading us to a very beneficial result.
peace and wonder,
CG
Comment by CG Walters — January 10, 2008 @ 4:03 pm
Hey thanks CG.
I read your article as well and I just loved how you used your friend’s ability to be present as an illustration for compassion, so congrats to you as well!
I noticed you live in Asheville, NC which is the home of some very dear friends of mine…leading me to Christine Kane (www.christinekane.com), who also lives there and with whom you could have numerous lovely conversations regarding J.C. (Joseph Campbell). If you like Loreena McKennit there’s a good chance you’ll love Christine’s music!
Aren’t all of the little links we have to one another sooo amazing???
Much love,
PK
Comment by Paula Kawal — January 10, 2008 @ 5:47 pm
Congratulations, Paula, we have something else in common. My son was born in Asheville, NC. Other than Hot Springs, Arkansas where I live today, Asheville is my favorite place in the world. We lived there for 3 years in the early 1970’s. Jobs were the only reason we left Asheville. Asheville is now called the Sedona of the East. If there was a spiritual community in the 1970’s, I wasn’t aware of it. We have been back to visit just twice. I still miss the Fall colors.
Comment by Patricia - Spiritual Journey Of A Lightworker — January 10, 2008 @ 7:47 pm
[…] A Sense of Equinity Are some things too hard to forgive? Compassion Begins with Myself Compassion so Subtle it’s Sublime The essence of compassion Cultivating Compassion Through “I Am That” Thinking […]
Pingback by Spread the Love NOW! Group Writing Project Results! » Personal Development - The Urban Monk — January 10, 2008 @ 11:42 pm
Oh Patricia! Now that IS interesting. I seem to have some kind of energetic connection with NC, especially the mountainous area of Asheville!
Like San Francisco…it has a vibe that I find absolutely delicious
Much love,
PK
Comment by Paula Kawal — January 11, 2008 @ 7:19 am
[…] The prize of The Now Watch was allotted to the judges’ favorite submissions and her entry was one of six to receive the […]
Pingback by paula kawal . com » Blog Archive » The Parable of the Watch — January 11, 2008 @ 10:17 am
[…] I participated in the Spread the Love, NOW! writing project by blogging about compassion. My post, Cultivating Compassion Through ‘I Am That’ Thinking was selected by the judges as one of six winners to receive the prize of The Now […]
Pingback by paula kawal . com » Blog Archive » Compassion, the Now and the Tale of a Watch! — January 30, 2008 @ 7:12 am