Empathy

Comment: “I would like you to point out specifically where you think I was unduly harsh in my response.”

Today I was walking in the forest with my dogs and I came across an elderly Ibicencan woman whom I know from around here. She was looking for wild mushrooms as is her habit. Saying hello and coming up to her, right away she told me she had felt ill for a few days. I could see her face was flushed and she had pain in her body. She told me she could not sleep last night from the pain and next she started telling me she was lonely, that there was nobody around for the holidays. Her husband died many years ago and whenever she thinks of him, she gets very emotional and starts to cry. Looking into her face and seeing her tears, feeling her lonliness in her old age and seeing her frail aching body I felt so much compassion for her. She sat down and looking at her I felt moved to try to help her.

I asked her where the pain was in her leg and then put my hands on her leg to give her Reiki. I wasn’t sure how she would respond to this act of mine, because she might just think I am a crazy witch doctor doing something like that, given her native background… The Reiki flowed strong and I found the problem in her leg and treated it for around 15 minutes. I suggested later I could do another one if she would like. She thanked me so much, then with tears on her face we split paths.

I went home and got nettle herbs for her to make a tea. I couldn’t tell her the name of the herb because I didn’t know it in Spanish. I returned to her house in 30 minutues with the herb, and there she was waiting for me at the door. She was very glad that I came. The most important was that I come inside and sit by the fire and have some bread and tomatoe with her and simply ‘be there’ and talk with her. Then she told me: ‘mi casa es tu casa’, you come anytime and please don’t take so long to come and visit again… I stayed around an hour talking with her, then I left. I felt good after just because I was able to take a step beyond myself to reach out to a suffering human being and make a little difference in their life to ease the ache of their heart.

Still I am sad to see how much suffering there is all around. Later today a friend of mine got angry at me and yelled at me and slammed the door in my face. I know it had nothing to do with me, yet it still hurt. The hurt was real, I cried after and then I let it go. So you might wonder what this has to do with your posts? This story above is coming from an intellectual just like you are, who in the past spent much time with logical reasoning and pointing out the problems of others. Not able to see beyond my rational and ‘perfect’ logic. I can see that what you are expressing you are doing with a good intention, but what I see is that what you are expressing is ‘devoid of feelings’ and thus doesn’t allow you to touch the pain of others. It took me quite some time to learn how to acknowledge and feel my emotions and I think every day I have more empathy for others, as I become more sensitive to energies. So much so it is hurting me more to see the extensive sadness, suffering and pain of beings all around, but on the other hand it also feels very much more alive than my previous world of rationalized, intellectional and black & white thinking.

Betsy