Compassion Group Notes - April 2023
Accountability
“It is wrong and immoral to seek to escape the consequences of one's acts.” ~Mahatma Gandhi
“Just because you're an adult doesn't mean you're grown up. Growing up means being patient, holding your temper, cutting out the self-pity, and quitting with the righteous indignation.'
'Why do so many people seem to love righteous indignation?'
'Because if you can prove you're a victim, all rules are off. You can lash out at people. You don't have to be accountable for anything.” ~Brandon Stanton, Humans of New York
Accountability and Interdependence
How are each of us going to take accountability for what the Dalai Lama chose to do?
Here is a simple meditative exercise for each of us to do:
Watch the video - how do you feel in your gut? How do you leave the feeling in your gut and escape into the head? Compassion and Wisdom are only possible with PRESENCE to what IS the experience in our bodies.
Put yourself in the shoes of the little boy. How did he feel? Can you discern this from his body language? What beliefs would he form about himself, spiritual leaders, other people? What needs were not met? How might this impact his life? How has clergy abuse (emotional, intellectual, social, physical, sexual) impacted your life?
Now do the same for his parents, the advisors to the Dalai Lama, the graduates present that day, the world of his followers and finally do it for the Dalai Lama himself. Can you see his life story from this one action? Do you understand now what spiritual by-pass (using spirituality as defense) looks like?
Can you recognize yourself in all these people? Can you recognize the inner dynamics, feelings, beliefs, experiences, memories, needs and ways in which you have lived as both victim and perpetrator? What is the loving response to each of the players in this drama? What is loving is being accountable. If the Dalai Lama were to be accountable, how would we know - what would it look like? If he cannot be accountable for his actions, and accountable to his Highest Inner Self, then what does the response of the world community need to be?
Can you bring the compassion and wisdom that you bring to your inner victim and perpetrator to all these people?
