James O’Dea wrote many beautiful books. The Conscious Activist is one of them.
In these times it’s easy for me to feel helpless. We’re in the midst of a world-wide pandemic and I’ve been wondering what can I do? The simplest answer came today – what I’m good at.
I’m good at holding space for people if they need support and I’m good at seeing the whole picture.
Sometimes I like to get political. Today is not that day. I’ve my own set of beliefs forming around what’s really happening and am attracted to the information I’m attracted to for that basis, and swimming in those waters is not doing me any good right now.
What is doing me good is listening to the messages of the Elders, especially those I work closely with and today, I’d like to share the words of an Irish Elder, of which I’m happy to have two of in my life.
Here’s the paragraph in Jame’s book I’m working with today:
“Yes, we must work on ourselves and face the suffering of this world. We must hold fast to goals that serve to end the suffering of others and be supple about the means we employ to reach those goals. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama says, “It’s not enough to be compassionate, one must act” and we must learn to act from the insight gained from the depths of compassion. “
The other Irish Elder that has been a guiding light in my life is Derek O’Neill. Here’s a great place to start with his teachings.
- and for some good clean Irish fun give a listen to something that may stay in your head all day. You’ve been warned.