Radical Compassion

Are you ready to make a commitment to a more loving and compassionate world?

You are invited to participate in The Radical Compassion Challenge, a free 10-day online event, beginning on January 21, to help build a global movement of Compassion in Action. The event is hosted by Tara Brach, renowned meditation teacher and international bestselling author.  Each day of The Radical Compassion Challenge brings you a short talk and guided meditation on core topics including compassion, self-forgiveness, seeing goodness, and deepening lovingkindness. A daily interview with one of 10 leading teachers and visionaries, shares insights on topics such as moving beyond bias and dividedness, realizing our mutual belonging, living from love, and cultivating a fearless heart. A daily compassion in action assignment will inspire you to contribute to a more loving world in real and doable ways. In Tara’s words, “Our vision is to start 2020 with an offering that can engage large numbers of people in becoming more intentional about awakening their hearts and engaging in compassion-based social activism.” You can register here: The Radical Compassion Challenge.  All recordings are available to you as they occur throughout the 10 days (January 21 – 30), so you don’t need to worry about missing a time or a day.

Today, January 20, we honor Martin Luther King Jr.
His leadership was an exemplary example of compassion-based social activism.

MLK Jr. was a minister, visionary, and leader of the American civil rights movement. Through the power of nonviolent protests, he changed the country and inspired the world.  He advocated for love, understanding, and compassion. His profound words ring true in our divisive climate today: “Man must evolve for all human conflict, a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation.  The foundation of such a method is love.”

The blog, Positive Words for Positive Change, expresses the importance of being mindful about the words we say and write: “Words are energy.  Each word we choose to speak or write holds a specific frequency. Positive words project a high, coherent (harmonious) frequency of unity and loving kindness.  Negative words project a low, non-coherent frequency of separation and fear.  When we are mindful about our words, we can choose to contribute to the sea of high frequencies of love on earth.”

This is especially true when we are advocating for a cause or are attempting to resolve a conflict. Each time we choose words that unify, affirm and heal, versus words that divide, judge and destroy, we commit a compassionate act. In the blog, Uplifting Umbrellas, we shared how a small group of women in Olympia, WA created Uplifting Umbrellas with positive words and images, to carry in the Seattle Women’s March. The purpose of the Umbrellas is to remind us to be loving and kind in our messages and tone, as we march for the broader themes that Martin Luther King Jr. marched for: equal rights and justice for all, decent existence for all peoples, and now, to save our planet.

If you live in or near the area, we hope you join us with your own Uplifting Umbrella on March 8 at the Seattle Women’s March!

Due to weather conditions, the Seattle Women’s March was rescheduled. This gives you time to create an Uplifting Umbrella! Directions are provided in our blog, Uplifting Umbrellas.  Carolyn, from Olympia, WA, recently created an Uplifting Umbrella and offers her additional suggestions below.

• I found the best method for quick and easy lettering on the umbrellas was to use 3” Peel and Stick vinyl letters (mine are by Cosco Industries).  Letters can be outlined with a fine tip Sharpie or pencil. You can easily remove the stencil and reuse the stencil letters for each section of words on the umbrella. I filled in each outlined letter with the Sharpie color of choice.
• It is much easier to write on the umbrella if you handhold an 8×11, or smaller, tag board (lightweight cardboard) directly on the backside of the fabric as you draw on the frontside. Use one hand to apply pressure to keep the fabric tight. and the other hand to draw or color. Move the tag board with your hand as needed, keeping the fabric taunt.
• For ideas of symbols for the umbrella—I searched symbols, slogans, or pictures of specific words on Google. I copied the symbols of choice, then traced or free handed the symbols directly onto the umbrella.

Let’s turn the tide in 2020 and create a compassionate world!