Have written about this elsewhere.. so I’m moving it into this space because I am now and then having inner debates/conflicts with this topic and yes I do struggle with —what I believe- is a missing link.
I am trying to get to a heartfelt level of compassion. If someone would ask me if I am compassionate ? I’d say it’s a faint version of Yes and No. Not from an immediately perceived inner perception. People are talking about Empathy/ compassion (Not dropping empathy and compassion into the same Saucepan, differentiating here also). Have been unpicking the whole neurobiological mechanisms of empathy, prosociality, cooperation ect to understand the foundations of things... (Still Doing so).
Its also the fatuity of my understanding! When someone physically gets hurt, I don’t feel with her or him.. I Do understand on a cognitive level. I don’t yawn if someone is yawning infront of me.. I don’t feel other people’s pain on an emotional level, or what I believe I must/should feel (The answer to this might come soon), this doesn’t necessarily mean I lack compassion, it might be compromised due to many reasons (Brief Description = From Sri Lanka /Mother was beaten often during preganancy, violent father, grew up in boarding schools with Nuns where there was physical punishment, and sexual abuse when I was left alone with two unknown men (I also don’t remember much about my childhood).
In some ways I do struggle because I can see how others are resonating with people, kids, animals. For me it’s just very one dimensional. I don’t seem to grasp the entirety of it, it’s more flatland, rationality, practical sense, evaluating and Analyzing.
I am interested on how your experiences are when it comes to compassion. Not asking for advice on how to cultivate compassion (Already doing that with Therapist) Or what compassion is and what not.
Your subjective experience of compassion? Putting your words to feelings
Thank you.
I am trying to get to a heartfelt level of compassion. If someone would ask me if I am compassionate ? I’d say it’s a faint version of Yes and No. Not from an immediately perceived inner perception. People are talking about Empathy/ compassion (Not dropping empathy and compassion into the same Saucepan, differentiating here also). Have been unpicking the whole neurobiological mechanisms of empathy, prosociality, cooperation ect to understand the foundations of things... (Still Doing so).
Its also the fatuity of my understanding! When someone physically gets hurt, I don’t feel with her or him.. I Do understand on a cognitive level. I don’t yawn if someone is yawning infront of me.. I don’t feel other people’s pain on an emotional level, or what I believe I must/should feel (The answer to this might come soon), this doesn’t necessarily mean I lack compassion, it might be compromised due to many reasons (Brief Description = From Sri Lanka /Mother was beaten often during preganancy, violent father, grew up in boarding schools with Nuns where there was physical punishment, and sexual abuse when I was left alone with two unknown men (I also don’t remember much about my childhood).
In some ways I do struggle because I can see how others are resonating with people, kids, animals. For me it’s just very one dimensional. I don’t seem to grasp the entirety of it, it’s more flatland, rationality, practical sense, evaluating and Analyzing.
I am interested on how your experiences are when it comes to compassion. Not asking for advice on how to cultivate compassion (Already doing that with Therapist) Or what compassion is and what not.
Your subjective experience of compassion? Putting your words to feelings
Thank you.
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