John Gray

Compassion

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"...to comfort all that mourn; to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesss..." [Isaiah 61:2-3]

Photograph by Suzanne Core

by John Gray
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I’m thankful for the technology that allows us to gather from distant places with such ease. It’s good to see you all and feel our presence together.

This is the last of our biweekly teleconference gatherings for this year. As calendar years draw to a close it’s usual to look back and assess the year that was. AJ Willingham, a writer for CNN, posted yesterday, “If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that kindness and compassion have never been more important. It’s taught us that difficult times are made easier when we work together, when we take care of each other; when we reach out a hand to those struggling and lift up the heroes that protect us. It’s taught us that the best way through the darkness is to look for the light—and if there is none, to make it ourselves.”

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Volker Brendel

Walk With Me

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"There are many ways to contribute. Particularly in these days when people might feel isolated and limited, let’s celebrate all efforts by anyone, anywhere to contribute to their highest vision, in whatever form is available to them. We recognize the spirit of love and truth in expression. That is what counts."

by Volker Brendel
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There are a variety of communication channels, some of which are lost in electronic transmission. We cannot quite see each other in the same way as when we are in the same room.  Certainly, we cannot smell each other. Perception of body language is limited. But then again this is not all that different from any form of communication. Ultimately, we always have to make do with what we have. We use words, gestures, body language, and so forth to convey something of our own experience. And then those we are communicating with perceive this and necessarily filter this through their own associations, related to their own experience. The best we can hope for is to convey with some accuracy what our experience is and that this translates for those with whom we wish to communicate. In that sense, technology doesn’t change too much; it just introduces more factors in the chain of communication that we have to consider.

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