Love, Forgiveness, and Compassion

by Shelley Lynne Cummins

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Swami Kriyananda asks the question, Traveler what do you seek here, since this world is not your resting place?  From this question, other questions arise?  Who are we and what is our ultimate purpose here?  I believe each of us absolutely know the answers to these questions and are simply fulfilling the experiences of knowing the answers.  Each of us being unique has a tailored answer representing the infinite diversity of oneness.  I will humbly express some of my thoughts and ever changing play of the subject.  May these thoughts simply entertain more questions, challenges, and contemplation thus opening the way for more answers, anecdotes, and knowing.
The source living in all is a never beginning, never ending existence of unified being. In this plane of polarity we are here to realize the experience of source within us. It is an inevitable evolution. We are each on a journey of illusive patience through time and space discovering the perfect, unlimited, and eternal source within all. From experientially learning this, the illusion that we are separate from any variation of source ceases to exist. As this source we have nothing to fear, yet everything to overcome…such is the play of this worldly existence.

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The practice of forgiveness is explained very well in the teachings of Jesus from The Course of Miracles. Forgiveness is the act of honoring every being and their actions as an act of pure, innocent, source. The ignorance is simply a play of polarity, untruth, and completely an illusion. As you forgive anything and everything you are functioning from the one mind of source. The practice is taken a step further by seeing all as another yourself, all as a projection of your own mind seeking purification. The purification process is the forgiveness. This practice clears the will from separative thinking allowing for greater experiences of perfectness, unlimited abundance, and eternal life.

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The practice of compassion is similar stemming from the Buddha’s teachings. Compassion is an act of right understanding from the one source mind. As we understand the truth of unity, we are able to release our attachments from the worldly play. As we disentangle from this illusion, we go within and dwell in source. From this all creative heart mind, everything is possible, all questions answered, and truth prevails.

In the compassionate practice of tonglen your sufferings are breathed into your heart on an inhale. The sufferings are transformed while holding the breath in the heart space with right understanding and compassion. On the exhale the sufferings are liberated and sent a blessing of compassion. After you have practiced tonglen on your own sufferings, the practice is done for all beings past, present, or future with any like suffering.

Compassion is sought for all sentient beings everywhere equally. Compassion like forgiveness is a way of living. As the practice is understood the layers of the illusive onion begin to peel. As the illusion has less pull, the will looses reality and often poses even greater battles. As the one heart mind of source is compassionate and forgiving of the will, the untruth dissolves even more.

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Meditation is an art of becoming the source within. The Sanskrit word for meditation is dhyana, meaning the absorption of all there is.

The practice of meditation first entails finding and steadying oneself in the observer. The observer is an aspect of the one source mind. As we begin to observe our thoughts of the mind and worldly body, we experience detachment. This is a knowing that we are not these thoughts and are simply able to watch the play. This observing of the play of our mind also unveils that all is coming from thought. As we choose a thought, it is. As we change a thought, all realities are changed. As we think from source, all is made pure.

At a certain point in meditation, there is a cessation of thought. This is the end of polarity. Consciousness no longer has anything to be conscious of. The cessation of thought is the act of living in unity. As one becomes the observer, one becomes the love of source. This experience of love teaches us how to be compassionate, forgiving, and love itself.

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The next practice is rooting one self in the foundation of source. This entails viewing absolutely everything in our worldly play as an illusion. Living your life as a means of dissolving the illusion and uncovering the truth. Life goes on as usual, yet it is your alchemical playground. The unseen foundation of source through your love, forgiveness, and compassion encompasses your world. As this occurs, polar aspects of the mind become obsolete and therefore no longer part of your worldly reality. The process continues until your mind becomes one hundred percent causal, the cause of all, the source. The source within and without knows that you are perfect, fulfilled, healthy, happy, eternal, and free.

It takes a leap of faith to surrender into the not fully realized source within.  It takes one surrender step at a time through the play of the world.  Love, forgiveness, and compassion are a means to the end of polarity, delivering the traveler back home.

*** I wrote this article a few years ago while going through a challenging process of experiencing hurt from another.  As I touched the supreme intelligence and love within me beyond worldliness I was able to go through a very gradual process of understanding, giving love, and liberation from the event.  As more time passed and my persistence continued more and more understanding came.  It has been such a blessing to plant these teaching into my life.  The blossoms and fruits continue to flow.