There is something afoot along this path that I am on. I can feel something about to happen. I am pursuing many related lines of action and feeling more confident that this is indeed the direction in which I ought to be heading. The readings that have come my way from the Baha'i Writings have been along one theme; being wary of passion and desire. One of the quotes I read was as follows: “Yet the pursuit of passion and desire will wrap the eyes in a thousand veils that rise out of the heart to blind the sight and the insight as well.” I have found myself sensitive to these subtle layers of meaning as I meditate on these words. I believe that when I pray it is my part of the conversation with God, when I read the Holy Texts, it is God speaking to me. As I reflected on my thoughts and actions yesterday, I recalled a conversation that I had with a group of women in my coaching course who were seeking to explore how one coaches around issues of race. I thought going in to the conversation that they would have far more experience and knowledge around the subject as they introduced themselves leading with extensive education and experience in large organisations. During the conversation though I realised that their knowledge and understanding of the depth and nuance of this vital and challenging conversation was nascent. I shared my experience with my husband and my chest puffed up a little as I felt empowered to help them along this path that I had very imperfectly been walking. Noticing this shade of arrogance, I meditated more on the quotation above. I do not want to be blinded in this all important conversation and work, as this area needs to be exponentially advanced. An attitude born of desire and passion will be sure to stifle its effects. So the question I posed today was what virtue do I need to not be consumed with flame of desire and passion. The practice of compassion involves refraining from judgement. I need to be open and understanding that for some of my fellow coaches, this is the very first step they are taking in this area and that they feel a strong and magnetic connection to this work. It matters not what their experience is but that we all make strides to get out of our heads and do the messy and painful work of softening our hearts, so that we may accompany our clients as they take these necessary steps. Parallel to this, I was called upon by a former place of work to assist them with the development of the Board. As I met with them the conversation devolved into blaming talk and back-biting which is sure-fire way to put me off. But compassion appears today directing me to listen deeply to enable them to connect with their own inner wisdom. They have expressed to me that it is my compassionate presence that they value and will help them to advance along a new path, one that will be fraught with many tests. I am therefore calling upon compassion today to burn away these veils of passion and desire to allow my vision, both outwardly and inwardly to be uninhibited.
I think most of us would not immediately see that compassion involves refraining from judgement, yet it is vital. True compassion involves caring for the other "as they are" and not as we wish them to be.