Empathy….do most people even know what it means?
I feel that we have heard this word quite a bit in the last couple of years. I am not sure I heard this word very much growing up, but I understand it is a very vital part of our existence. Empathy can be defined as “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.”
I like to think of empathy as “stepping into someone else’s shoes” and trying to experience someone else’s emotions as if they were your own. It is not feeling sorry for someone, that would be sympathy. It is important not to confuse the two.
Some people can be so affected by others’ sorrows or fears they can feel those emotions. We might refer to that person as an empath. They help or support a person, not because they feel sorry for them, but because they have come to truly understand their distress.
I completed my 200-hour RYT (yoga certification) and Reiki Master in recent years. There was so much discussion about this topic of empathy and how vital it is in practice.
It is a complex skill, but it is certainly rooted in our brains. We all can be empathetic. Whether we decide it is something we want to work on is up to us. I think I have always been empathetic, but sadly judgment got in the way in my earlier years.
After a couple tragic family events, witnessing miraculous recoveries, and relying on my new yoga insights, I would like to think I evolved into someone a little better. Not perfect by any means, but someone with a little less judgment, a little more patience, and a little more cognitively empathetic.
If you have read some of my earlier articles, you will see a theme. That theme is: we are never done progressing. We should keep trying to better ourselves as human beings. It is a lifelong process, and learning empathy is certainly one of the most valuable traits.
Recently, nineteen monks left Fort Worth, Texas on a 2,300-mile trek to Washington, DC on a Walk for Peace. They gathered from around the globe to complete this journey of peacefulness and mindfulness. Sadly, I just missed them in North Carolina, but some friends and relatives did catch a glimpse and sent videos.
They walked through very harsh weather. A couple sustained injuries and one monk even required an amputation. People came out in droves to witness their journey, no matter their political or religious affiliation.
You can search online for videos. Their page is Walk for Peace on Facebook (just make sure it is the official one: blue checkmark). Their trek ended February 10. I was certainly moved by their many talks as they stopped along the way. People broke down talking with them about whatever was going on in their lives, and they listened and passed on wisdom.
These monks embody empathy in every way. They teach us the value of mindfulness and meditation (or prayer if that what works for the individual) and living a peaceful and empathetic life. Giving grace to people because we have not walked in their shoes. Until we have done that, how are we to judge?
We become so obsessed with the evil of this world that we begin to believe that is all there is. Personally, I cannot live that way. There will always be good and evil. I must practice empathy and find peace anyway I can.
So, I will try to hold my tongue, be less quick to judge, and work to put myself in other’s shoes. If I can help, I will. If I can lend some wisdom, I will. If I need to learn more about something, I will study rather than spew nonsense. I will not assume I know better but work to listen and observe. Walk in peace, readers.
