In this post we take our exploration of compassion further than we have to date in a compelling talk invoking insights from several disciplines to make the case for “radical compassion.”
Not for the faint of heart, Roshi Joan Halifax (an American Zen Buddhist teacher, anthropologist, ecologist, civil rights activist, hospice caregiver and author and founder, abbot and guiding teacher at Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico) delivered a powerful talk at the 2015 Wisdom 2.0 conference in San Francisco. Calling us to engage in “radical compassion”, Roshi Joan Halifax makes an impassioned plea for the cultivation of compassion for our very survival.
In this talk, Roshi Joan Halifax unpacks compassion at the deepest level and illustrates the neurological, psychological and health benefits of the practice. Addressing what she calls the erroneous beliefs about compassion, Roshi Joan explains the meaning of compassion, how to create a map of compassion, and methods for cultivating compassion. Ultimately delivering the call to action in this way:
“Disrupt complacency, engage compassion, spread the news: compassion is a sane, healthy, collaborative, radical necessity.”
As always we invite you to share your thoughts and reactions to this post and enthusiastically receive any recommendations or contributions you would like to make to our Wisdom, Courage and Compassion Project.
