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The Compassion Chronicle

The Reflections of Andreas Mamet

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I have chosen this internet platform to express my reflections on subjects that are important to me. It is my hope that some of what is said is relevant to you, the reader and perhaps even helpful in some aspects of your life. The Article Page contains pieces written by others on the subject of compassion. It starts with an amazing piece by Stephen King. Check out what he has to say on the theme by clicking on ARTICLE PAGE right now.

Click on INTERVIEW PAGE to find an incredibly inspiring interview on Sacred Relationships with author Raylene Abbott.

Find a powerful story of compassion in action in COMPASSION IN THE NEWS.

Find a truly amazing Gulf War story by Jacquelyn Sendak on TCC READERS ON COMPASSION.

I am also inviting you to write articles on compassion in action, events that you witnessed that expressed deep kindness and that touched you at your core. I would love to publish your articles right here on this site.


Compassion

Compassion is the mindfulness that imagines how it would be to exist in somebody elses shoes. It is the mindfulness that allows us to treat somebody else in the way we would wish to be treated. It is feeling and recognizing one's self in the other form.


Power

One of the first things that happens to us when worldly power arises in our life, perhaps in the way of money, fame, influence or a combination thereof, is the sense of having attained independence. We feel that all of a sudden we are independent, can look at the world and say to anybody or anything: I don't need you.
It invites the arising of a general go-get-lost-climate. A climate wherein also the values of wisdom, kindness and compassion can be arrogantly defied.

This sense of independence is not real. It is an illusion.


Fear, hesititaton and scarcity consciousness

Fear, hesitation and scarcity consciousness are the three ghosts that will kill your ability to find your place in life. If they reside in yourself, you will not be able create anything that is beautiful, you will not be able to bring dignity to the world. If you wish to find your place of power and happiness in the world, invoke the spirits of fearlessness and boldness to drive away those inner ghosts. Once fearlessness and boldness arises, you will become very expanded. In that expansion, Clear Vision arises.

Compassion In Action

Once our awareness is amplified and expanded to a point where we begin to feel a part of our own being in others, then the impulse to initiate action will arise when we see suffering in those who are before us. Action to alleviate that suffering. From the glimpses that I have experienced I deduct that for a Buddha all living beings exist within his being. Thus, when a Buddha helps another being, from his point of view he/she merely helps himself.


Money - The Final Frontier

Money is the final frontier for the mind. In order to reach that inner space wherein we generate compassion to a point where we are ready to give away money to alleviate suffering, a long distance has to be traveled. One might need to enter a spaceship to reach there as the common mind environment will not favor such action. Which is why such action does not happen very often and that is .... common.

In the ancient days of Israel, tithing was an important part of the society, not just because it represented compassion in action, but also because it was believed that tithing supported the flow of money coming to the giver. So, to keep protecting one's interests, one gave away 10% of one's income to where money would meet a genuine human need.

Money is the most powerful outer force on the planet. It will build or destroy entire countries, create an oasis in a desert, change despair into hope, and restore dignity where there was none. Hence the distribution of money needs to be included into the network of compassion in some fashion or other. Its power to alleviate suffering is immense.

It is the ability to utilise money as a vehicle for compassion that is part of the Noble Mind.


Words

Words are Power.

Words have the ability to send another human being into heaven or hell. Words are hugely powerful. Mostly we do not realize this as we are identified with the mental/emotional state wherein our words arise. Thus, we do not have access to witnessing our words or actions in many instances. Without this witnessing, we do not grasp the effect of our words.

Also, when we utilize our facility of speech for superficial and insincere exchanges, we dilute our capacity for impactful speech and thus create even more distance to the understanding of how powerful our words are.

When we speak words, we create. Thus, when we speak words that carry beauty, compassion and nobility ---- we create these values and we make them tangible. We put them on the planet. We create presence and form.


Money and Compassion

My perception and understanding is this:

That which is the essence of Compassion wants the beings who live on this planet to wake up from their sleep and, more than ever before, transform the power of money into Wisdom/Compassion.

Why? Because suffering has reached a peak on this planet and the efforts to stem against that suffering need to reach heightened critical mass.

When compassion is activated, money can help tremendously in the process of alleviating suffering.

It does not mean we have to give away all our money. It just means to utilize a small part in wisdom/compassion. Many small parts make one big whole.


Our Emotional Truth

In my observation, our overall maturity as human beings is mostly determined by our emotional maturity. No matter what we may believe ourselves to be, how much we are wanting to convince ourselves of our "spiritual advancedness," ---  it is from our emotional reality that we act and decide in many instances. It is for that reason that to practice witnessing our emotions, and to practice non-reactivity on that level  --- is of pivotal importance.

It is in the realm of our emotional reality where tangible spiritual growth is truly registered.

September 29, 2003

Blooming Rose Press has a really cool and inspiring site. Substance here. Check it out!

Baby, Im amazed!

By Andreas Mamet

I am amazed at the utter insufficiency of most everything spiritual around me. It is painfully obvious that 99% of what is masquerading as spiritual realization is simply modified ego and does not represent vibrantly alive transformation in any way. Yet in a mysterious manner, this then turns into a form of service for me, as it unleashes a discontent of tremendous proportions, the kind of discontent that makes me want to lie down and not get up until there is nothing but the complete and unceasing presence of the Divine.

The mind is a formidable trickster. It goes along with everything as long as it is allowed to continue to exist. It says, "You want to be spiritual? No problem. Here it is. Now, I am spiritual. Now I am a seeker of mystical knowledge. Now I am an advanced initiate."

As long as the mind is allowed to continue to emit notions of who we are, everything is okay. What happens is that the materially oriented ego has modified and turned into the spiritually oriented ego. And in that manner, survival is guaranteed and illusion, in the name of clarity --- is maintained. And this glamorous comedy can go on forever.

I can think of only two things that seem potent enough to break the vicious circle of ongoing self-delusion: radical and ruthless observation and witnessing of ones thought processes, a continuous stream of bringing oneself back into the moment and - Grace.

What is Grace? Grace can come with lightning speed. One moment we are standing in the kitchen, the mind chattering away, the next moment - it strikes. All of a sudden, there is a tremendous spaciousness. There is complete stillness. There is no thought. There is complete absence of any sense of "I." The insight is pure and undiluted and there exists nobody to have the insight. The perception of reality just is, without a perceiving agent. There is a tremendous relief.

A glimpse occurred. And the path of realization is filled with these glimpses, moments where the Eternal Here and Now truly opens up and reveals its profound emptiness and stillness. Mile stones. Gifts. Grace. And when the soul is not anchored in this manner (please note the duality-supporting quality of the English language), when separation and duality have returned, there exists a silent kind of torture, the memory of what is ones true state and the knowledge that nothing else will do. Everything, one knows, is just a smoke screen, mysteriously preventing insight into the true nature of ones reality. And at this point the experience of longing becomes profound. And Ramana sits back, laughs and asks me. "So, who is it that is longing?"

Check out Kathy Eldon's cool site CREATIVE VISIONS

To create this e-zine, I just sat down and thought to myself: what do I like to read? The content comes from a variety of sources: some I've written myself, some has been written by friends, and some has been contributed by other Internet users just like you.

I hope you enjoy this e-zine. Be sure to sign my guestbook at the bottom of the screen or send e-mail to let me know what you think (or to contribute articles or ideas). I'll be updating frequently, so check back often!

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Table of Contents
January 2000

In this area, I might include links to specific pages of my e-zine, perhaps with a short summary of the content in order to draw readers in.

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5-21-2003
 
Integration of Spirituality and Business
 
The other day I had a conversation that once again brought a painful reminder to me. It was painful because I asked myself: Why is it that some "spiritual" people, the moment they shift into business mode, can become more cut-throat, deceptive and indifferent, less generous, compassionate and sharing than the average so-called "unspiritual" person next door? I looked at this and I thought: Just let me do business with a so-called "redneck" any time. I could rely on a greater level of integrity and straightforwardness from him any time.
 
What is it that creates the gap?
 
Mindfulness, or rather, the lack thereof --- creates the gap. It is one thing to sit in a coffee house and exhibit one's  "spiritual depth and realization."  It is something else to remember those realizations in our daily communications and business dealings with others. Which is where our realization matters. Which is where we can walk our talk. Unless our realization SHOWS in our daily interactions --- and I mean 24/7 --- we are fooling ourselves. We are merely lost in the glamour of thinking ourselves to be spriritually advanced and the only thing advanced about ourselves is our flaming egotism. I include myself into this, since I found myself quite capable of an arrogance that, once recognized, made me feel ashamed of my behavior. This is the stuff in ourselves that we refuse to look at. We rather continue to uphold our image of being a "good" person and we will cling to this even in the face of our lowest behavior, which we surround by an astounding inabilty to actually listen to ourselves and to see ourselves. Which is why true spritual work is really a most difficult process. True spiritual work includes the abilty for ruthless self-examination and consequent self-correction. That requirement is constant.
 
So, what is it that constitutes quintessential spiritual practice?
 
The recognition that attitudinal practice is the bigger part of our work. The technical part is small in comparison.  We can meditate and pray five hours a day, that still leaves us with 19 hours remaining. During that time we are given a chance to display who we truly are. That is the window of opportunity wherein we exhibit our general attitude and the true degree of our insight and realization. Our actualized spirituality shows how we deal with selling our house, a car or a piece of merchandise for $10. We may think these are insignificant moments, but they show WHO WE REALLY ARE. Those moments show if we carry a hidden Ebenezer Scrooge in us or whether we can bring a genuine moment of generosity and upliftment to the "other" in front of us. Such moments are the crucial moments in our lives. While the significance of such moments may elude us in general, they matter tremendously.
 
It is in the small moments of life that we are given the opportunity to demonstrate the greatness of our soul. And once we are capable of recognizing such moments of opportunity and respond with wisdom, kindness and generosity, we have become magicians of transformation. We have turned a string of small moments ... into great moments. We have turned the insignifiant ... into vibrantly alive significane. Then, our lives become meaningful to behold.

TCC is a creation by Andreas Mamet. If you have any comments, e-mail amamet1000@yahoo.com
 
 
Compassionate action for the month:
Buy one bag of groceries. Then drive through your town with open eyes. You will know to whom to give the bags of groceries. Enjoy. This action will come back to you, but remain detached and expect nothing.

11-23-2002

At the core of our being we know exactly what we want to do. We know exactly what we want to stop doing. As we keep compromising ourselves, as we continue to not listen to the whispers of our souls, we are simply working on a build-up that creates a volcanic eruption, we are engineering a situation in our life that will cause such an out-of-control event that will force us to finally do what we, as souls, really want to do and we will finally terminate the behavior that soul suggests to terminate.

10-5-2002

Spiritual Knowledge

The domain of spiritual knowledge consists of a seeming infinite number of worlds upon worlds, interlacing, intertwining and at times blending into each other seamlessly. Many of those worlds can be dazzling and exiting, so very different from the everyday experience that constitutes our daily life.

At times the information that is brought to us from tapping into these worlds is very exciting and exotic, to a point that we may forget to distinguish between information that is of Transformational Value and information that is actually devoid of Transformational Value.

What is Transformational Information?

Transformational Information is knowledge that is applicable in our daily life. For instance, direct instructions of spiritual techniques of prayer and meditation are basically of Transformational Value, but only if they do fit the specific needs of the individual. This means that a Sufi technique may work for one person, a Buddhist technique may work for another. Ultimately each of us will sense when Transformational Power is released by certain practices, as they will produce experience, seeing and understanding on a marrow level. But only a time of applied, sincere daily practice will demonstrate this and bring experience beyond belief or assumption. The proof is in the pudding, presumed we taste and eat it. While tastes differ, we know what tastes good to us.

Thus, techniques of meditation and prayer that can be practiced daily - contain Transformational Power that is set free as insight and experience that alters our being.
As important or perhaps even more important than techniques are the attitudes that we display in our daily lives. The attitudes that we display in our everyday life can be distinguished in a simple and general way: Our speech and action may arise either from a state of contraction or expansion. Thus, if we hear teachings that suggest that we practice compassion, kindness and generosity, this is Transformational Information that is aimed at our attitudes, at our speech and action. Putting this information into daily expression will bring Existential Transformation, to us and to others.

What is Spiritual Glamour?
Spiritual glamour is upheld by pursuing and disseminating information, that, even if true on a relative plane, does not change our lives in any way. There are many examples that come to my mind, but I am sure that by the time you reached the end of the last sentence, you had instant examples arising in your own mind, and for yourself you may have an instant glimpse of what I am talking about. As I am personally remaining mindful of the distinctions outlined above, certain bodies of knowledge simply fall away from my attention, as their existence is recognized as a mirage. I recognize that pursuing these bodies of knowledge may keep me busy and moving, but I will not end up in the green fields of substance. I will keep walking in the desert of life, while painfully believing that something meaningless is meaningful.

What is a Transformational Experience?

An event of Transformational Experience or a Stream of Transformational Experiences is brought about by the application of the above-mentioned practice of spiritual techniques and attitudes reaching critical mass. How long it takes for a practitioner to reach that point will differ according to background and intensity generated. Spending time with people who are more deeply anchored in Wisdom/Compassion Insight may also bring it about. This compares to the scientific discovery that a bell will start vibrating by itself if only another bell in the same room is rung. Hard to believe, yet scientifically proven to be true.

The scope of Transformational Experiences is immense, but all have one thing in common: They provide us with a deeper understanding of Who We Are, what our Relationship with the universe is in actuality. My own perception is that genuine Transformational Experience can come softly or it can be an explosion in our consciousness. Remember times when you had an AHA Experience. AHA Experiences come in different strengths and dosages, but what they have in common is that they clear doubts and confusion, and bring insight that provides certainty and with certainty comes peace. And insight, the privilege of certainty and peace will create a sense of spiritual nourishment. We experience being satisfied.

Dynamics of communication
As we enter into communication with others, often we will observe the presence of agendas that function as underlying currents seeking to influence the direction a conversation might take. Thus if we have a room with eight people, we can have the possibility of perhaps eight or more agendas present, ready to face off, ready to be injected by their carriers, because their carriers feel that it is important that the world needs the information they have. A mission is born.

As the presence of agendas grows in a room, the presence of the ability to listen to others diminishes. If I am capable of entering into a conversation without any agendas at all, my listening ability is activated and heightened, my being takes in what is present, rather than expending energy in the process of scouting out opportunities to insert my agenda. Also, instantly I feel a sense of expanding freedom inside myself. My attention is expanded to the whole of the situation, rather than being identified with the little slice of my agenda that I am waiting to feed others. Agendaless being is born.

Looking at the process of communication as an opportunity to practice letting go of agendas, I have observed the arising of an amazing phenomenon. Letting go of agendas creates the space for words to arise from much deeper recesses of being. Words may arise that carry more power, eloquence and impact than words within the context of the limited engineering of agenda-driven communication. It is as if agendaless being allows us to feel the group soul of a gathering and thus provides an opportunity to speak words that are relevant to the entire group, on an essential level, as opposed to being relevant to the speaker only. If I were to use computer language, I might say a program is selected and run that is of keen interest to the highest number of people possible. Agendaless being can access the common denominator of a group, and thus bring forth communication that may function as nourishment to a group.

Have you ever observed when a group of people gathers in a social context, say a party ---- right at the beginning the energy can be very fresh, very open. It is as if a subtle light emanates from the group. Then, as communication proceeds and agendas are introduced, the light gradually fades and dims.

As said above, with the expansion of agendaless being and communication the ability of listening is greatly enhanced. As our power of listening is expanded, as we are capable of providing the other with more and more undiluted listening, another amazing phenomenon arises: Our capacity for listening becomes a kind of nourishment.

Speaking about the domain of compassion

There forever exists the difference between things as they appear to be and things as they actually are. This gap forces me continually --- and I mean continually ---- to practice discernment and distinguish between the two. The outer world is forever engaged in this giant sale.."Buy appearances, cheapdiscount.90% off."

As I am continuing to speak and write about the possibilities of compassion in action, I have come to realize that on occasion I may be a pain to some people who read my stuff, because, basically I am looking at myself and I am asking myself: "Given my potential for compassion and kindness in action --- did utilize my potential? Am I using my life force is such a way as to bring beauty, wisdom and kindness to my environment and to this planet? As I am asking myself this question, I am simply extending the question to the person who reads this, which at this very moment in time . is you.

I have come to realize that this question that I share really may cause discomfort in some readers and that basically I am attempting to expand that feeling of discomfort until it reaches a point where that question becomes like a heat, something that acquires an overriding importance. Something to be dealt with. Thus, I realize this is a job that does not necessarily engender a lot of gratitude, rather it might at times simply engender the response of irritation.

I also realize that I cannot help myself. I speak the words that I speak, because they are inside my being, requesting to be released into the atmosphere. So I guess, I am doing what I have to do, without a great sense of having a choice. I can choose, however, to release the words without expectations, like opening a cage of doves and letting them fly without expectations of what they might do or where they might land. I am working on that. So, if you have a bird sitting on your shoulder, picking away at your ear, don't blame me. I released the birds because I had to. And perhaps they are just whispering something in your ear that is both true AND uncomfortable. Again, don't blame me. I am just a hapless victim of the forces of creativity that are moving through me and that, I admit, at times feel like gigantic tidal waves.

This invitation to engage in WisdomKindness in action can be like a fine needling. However, allow me to point out this. I feel that we live in a world where to live a life where we are quietly good, is simply no more enough. Why? Because right now there are many highly active currents on the planet that are most expressively destructive. And goodness, when not expressed, simply ends up in support of these same currents of destruction. Goodness that does not take a stance -- is simply a gesture of impotence. Goodness that does not express in action, may be just another word for complacency. Sleep. Hypnosis.

It does not take a rocket scientist to see that the world is flooded with suffering, and, what is worse, indifference to that suffering. It is said that the opposite of love is not hate --- it is indifference. I believe that to be true. Indifference and non-action are the attitudes that support forces that actively bring suffering.

Some people in the New Age may bring up the law of karma. Perhaps to justify indifference and inaction. In the end, the wrong that happens to somebody else, the suffering that happens to somebody else --- we are deeply connected to it and the world will never be a peaceful place unless each of us finds an active way to contribute to peace with actions that support the striving for peace.

There are also those voices that would suggest that we can only give true kindness if we are fully aware. Does it mean I have to be enlightened first before I can engage in acts of kindness? And everything prior to that is "idiot compassion?" Think again. Sometimes it takes very little to make a difference in somebody else's life. Beginning with a word of appreciation, a small present, or something that expresses "I care for you." Every day there exists a myriad of opportunities to contribute to WisdomCompassion .in action.

This is the bird for today and it is on your shoulder.

1-8-2002

This morning I was particularly uninspired by reading the news and I decided to search for "Positive News" on the net. To me delight I came up with quite a few sites created by people who are just as tired having to look at news created by people from the old paradigm.

So, please take a look at http://www.positivenews.com/
or search for similar sites. You may be amazed.


The following was a letter I originally sent to a friend. Then I thought it just might fit well right here in this column. Let me call the piece....

Brad Pitt - Bored?

Today I read about Bradd Pitt declaring that he was beginning to feel bored in his daily film work. I could think of several reasons why.

First, he is doing films that don't really create impact in the ways of introducing true positive values in viewers' lives. (That movie with Julia Roberts - what a bomb!)

I mean, there are movies that create real changes in people's minds. K-Pax was really great, in that respect. How could the actors not be deeply satisfied, creating such a movie?

And second, he must not be transforming the power and fame that he gains from his career. I mean, it is possible to "launder" - so to speak - .... the money and the power and turn it into something truly benevolent for others. In that case, he also would not feel bored. (You could do totally idiotic films and turn your resulting power and wealth into currents of compassion. I could live with that.)

I mean, how many innumerable hours have I spent looking at the computer over the years, following little numbers running across the screen? Talk about the potential for boredom!!! If I would not have a bigger picture in mind that serves transformative processes and is aimed at bringing a kind of tangible soothing to the planet, there is no way I could do what I am doing. You could not think of anything more dissatisfying than working the stock market just for your little self.

Just a thought to share my inner workings....

Andreas


Updated November 6, 2001




A Moment of Contemplation

As I am researching the life and philanthropic works of George Soros, I am of course, once again, led to contemplating the value and meaning of different life styles and experimentation with it. His giant project of creating what he calls "Open Society" and using huge amounts of dollars to fund the experiments, especially in the East bloc countries, is hugely intriguing and inspiring for me.

It does lead me deeper into contemplating, what is a well-rounded life style?

Of course, with my own background of 30 years of daily meditation and prayer practice, the spiritual quest would be a central pillar in a life style that is dedicated to existential substance. At the same time it would not refuse the beauty and abundance the material world can offer. The question simply is: "How can material affluence be joined harmoniously with the domain of WISDOM AND KINDNESS?"

To me, that is the essential question. There was a time, shortly after I came to the US, that I worked nine hours a day in a Chrysanthemum Green House, yet simulaltaneously I practiced three hours of meditation a day. (I continue a very dedicated spiritual discipline to this day.) This combination, this process of integrating the inner and the outer ---- seems appropriate. I can easily see the goodness of a daily rythm that is inspired by the longing for God-Realization AND the longing to add beauty to this planet. Bringing TANGIBLE relief, in action.... to our daily life, to others, is simply the logical conclusion that arises past a certain point of awakening in the individual's journey toward Self-Realization.

For me personally, the blending of the blessings of the material world with the blessings of the spiritual world --- remains the challenge that I am faced with. My longing of wanting to see inner beauty, wisdom and realization find outer expression --- is alive and well.

I am certain that in these trying times, many convictions that we hold day-to-day....are becoming subject to being questioned and thus we will leave behind ideas and convictions that do not serve us well and lack substance, in our own minds and hearts.

Andreas Mamet
Updated November 4, 2001


With all the events surrounding September 11, we are all forced to look at our lives, re-evaluate and perhaps look at life in the way of re-setting our priorities.

Thus, I want to invite the readers of TCC to send to me their current definitions: What is compassion to you? I will post it right here in this column.



Updated September 27, 2001

The link below leads you to author Raylene Abbott's site.
Please take a look -

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