Articles & Stories

The Gift of Empathy

Marshall Rosenberg

I want to give you the gift of empathy
And to rid myself of lifeless thought limiting what I see
It's taken me a while but I've come to see at last
How much I miss the present with eyes fogged by the past
So if I take some time before I answer you
I am clearing away my projections so your divinity can come through

 

Bridging the Empathy Gap - Yes We Can!

Article contributed by Sophia
to Change.org

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In the 21st century we are beginning to see that living in right relationship with ourselves, each other and all the kingdoms of nature will become not a choice, but a necessity, for the survival and sustainability of all life on Mother Earth; and to end poverty and war as a scourge on our planet, an unnatural state of being, on our evolutionary journey. We yearn for a new livingness which will demonstrate our true nature as souls in incarnation, a new paradigm which will enable our conscious shift from a culture of violence to a culture of peace. We recognise with growing awareness and urgency that peace begins with each one of us.

The great peace reformer, Mahatma Gandhi, once said that non-violence is a life force, that when harnessed becomes contagious and can disarm nations and change the world. It begins in our hearts, where we renounce the violence inside us, then it moves outwards with active, persistent truth and love, towards our families, towards our communities, towards our nation and out into the world.

Empathy and compassion are qualities of the soul which foster understanding and connection with ourselves and others. It is a consciousness of the heart, which is the seat of the soul,  flowing from the Divine Essence of Life itself. This quality of empathic connection is the cornerstone of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), the Language of Life, founded by cultural creative, Dr Marshall Rosenberg, and practiced by NVCers all over the globe.

These qualities were understood and employed by one of the greatest US Presidents of all time, Abraham Lincoln. He transformed possible “enemies” into friends with the power of empathy and compassion, qualities which seemed innate within the depth and wisdom of his character. He was also a keen observer of human nature.

Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote that " Mr Lincoln possessed extraordinary empathy – the gift or curse of putting himself in the place of another, to experience what they were feeling, to understand their motives and desires.” Others have said “He played on the human heart as a master on an instrument…He gave the key-note to his own character when he said: “With malice towards none, with charity for all. Gratitude was a religion with him.” Lincoln’s capacity for compassion and empathy was the hallmark of his greatness, a true giant among men.

President Barack Obama, has openly stated his admiration for Abraham Lincoln as a mentor and role-model. If we trust that Obama will seek to enculturate and employ within his administration, the considerable empathic qualities which Lincoln demonstrated in his personal and political life, then we will truly see a People’s President at the helm of the most powerful nation on Earth, and we can have faith in Obama’s vision and words - "Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world."

There is nothing more powerful than a vision whose time has come! Humanity has come of age and is more than ready for NVC Empathy and a Culture of Peace within our world governments! The true Soul of America will liberate and lead the way - an Office of Empathy and Peace Education, lead by Dr Marshall Rosenberg, within a Department of Peace, lead by Congressman Dennis Kucinich – YES WE CAN!!

www.cnvc.org    www.thepeacealliance.org

 

President Barack Obama wrote a letter to a young girl.

President Obama

He said: "...creating change and making the world better is not always easy, and you will probably find in your life that it is more comfortable to ignore injustices that don't affect you directly. Don't take that comfortable road. Challenge yourself to make a difference."
He continued: "If you don't already know what it means, I want you to look up the word "empathy" in the dictionary. I believe we don't have enough empathy in our world today and it is up to your generation to change that."

 

Towards a US Department of Peace & Non-Violence

US Congressman Dennis Kucinich has advocated the creation of a cabinet-level Department of Peace, to make non-violence an organising principle within society. He believes that peace, not war, is inevitable, if we are willing to work for peace. He sees the world as being interconnected and interdependent. This vision always strives to find the commonalities, the points where unity can be formed. His book
A Prayer for America is a collection of his essays and speeches representing his holistic worldview.

He believes the United States can best lead the way through full support of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, the Kyoto Climate Change Treaty, the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Biological Weapons Convention; joining the International Criminal Court, signing the Landmine Treaty and the Small Arms Treaty. As America rejoins the world in full support of principles of international law, it will help build the cause of human unity.

Congressman Dennis Kucinich's patient endeavours to build a vision for a US Department of Peace over recent years, has encouraged other nations to do the same. This has now culminated into The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace. It has become part of a spreading worldwide community actively involved in researching, teaching, and putting into practice principles and methods of peace-building and conflict transformation. The Global Alliance is at the beginning of a new, expanding movement throughout the world for governments to organise around principles of a Culture of Peace and Non-violence.

http://kucinich.house.gov/Issues/Issue/?IssueID=1564