The Shambhala Warriors' Weapons

 Such a wonderful story about and for this time in history, when all life is hanging by frail threads.  My understanding is that compassion and the right action are necessary to save life.  What the author calls insight I think of as part of compassion, that is, compassion is a deep genuine caring based on knowing that we are all one, all interrelated and interdependent, and fueled by compassion it is necessary that "warriors" courageously step forward and put compassion into compassionate action, speaking and doing what promotes life.  Both compassion and right action are needed.  Either by itself falls short.  I believe that what we call good and bad exists in every heart -- good and bad are also one, interrelated and interdependent, and we try to separate from what we call bad both within us and among us, and then call what we pretend to have separated from bad and enemy.  Again, it is important for us to realize that we are one, even the parts of ourselves and other people that we don't like, and get to know those parts and people rather than try to deny and destroy them.  They are us.  As someone said, "there's something about that guy I just can't stand in myself."  A mentor once told me, "I look across the room and see me."  I know that, I have some of that compassion -- what I'm short on is stories to share of when I put it into action.

This phrase caught my attention, "what I'm short on is stories to share of when I put it into action." I was waiting in line yesterday and a young Black man approached me and asked if I was "saved." My mind jumped to images of my repressive Baptist upbringing, my study of Buddhism and white supremacy and that "deer in the headlights" moment of not knowing how to respond. "Breath, Vicky, don't react" but I reacted: "I follow Jesus example of how to live in the world." He kept pushing his agenda to make sure we are all saved by accepting Jesus as our saviour because the Bible says it. Mind talk: "The Bible?! The book that has inspired our current system of white supremacy,LGBTQIAhatredand the crusades that killed so many because of what white men decided everyone should believe?!" My name was called to be served in the line we occupied together. "Thank you, God, for the distraction." I need more stories about how to put my compassion into action....