August 2010
When our choice is to offer empathy to another person, our focus of attention is on their experience. With this focus of attention, for me, questions would be in the service of understanding the person I am trying to connect with.
As questions come to our awareness we can determine what energy each question arises from. Are we focused on the other person’s experience or are we focused on satisfying our curiosity, or responding from our experience as it might relate to their experience?
If my intention is to offer empathy to the other person, then my desire is to rest a significant amount of my attention on them. With this intention of empathy for another, notice where your energy and attention are resting. If you notice that your focus has slipped back to you and your experience, you can choose to re-focus your attention. It is your choice.
Marshall Rosenberg defines empathy as a respectful understanding of another person’s experience. I find empathy rare in my day to day experience.
My vision is that empathy becomes a normal experience for each of us.
Until next time,
Blessings, Love, and Peace Matters
Lori
