Freedom is not something we gain by separating ourselves from the world, but by feeling more deeply connected to it. When we see ourselves as separate, our concern narrows to “me” and “mine,” and fear, comparison, and self-interest take hold. Compassion, when widened, gently loosens these inner constraints.
To expand our circle of compassion is to recognize that we are all connected, our lives woven into a much larger whole. When we allow ourselves to care beyond personal boundaries, something within us softens. The sense of isolation and separateness begins to fade.
Compassion toward other beings and toward nature naturally brings humility, reverence, and gratitude. In caring for the whole, we discover that we are also caring for ourselves. In this way, compassion becomes a path to freedom. As our hearts open to include more of life, the tight grip of the ego relaxes. We feel less divided, less alone, and more at home in the world. What begins as an outward expansion eventually becomes an inner liberation.
Pause for Reflection: Who or what am I being invited to care for beyond my usual boundaries?
Bluishmuse 