"I would very much love to have some more faith in humanity"
Well, let me tell you a simple story about me. In an earlier part of my life I was a psychotherapist. In the 5 year training period, on one occasion with a group of other trainees we did an exercise. It was this:
The group (of about 10 persons) was asked to feel into who they considered to be the most OBNOXIOUS person they knew. Next, we were asked to visualize we were THAT PERSON, but even more extremely than he or she was, and at a cocktail party, milling around and talking with each other. Then we were told to do it NOW.
The guy I found obnoxious was loud, brash, coarse, vulgar,
a heavy drinker, insensitive, interested only in his own
situation.
What was it like to "be" him? I loved it! And so did all the others "doing" their version of "obnoxius person".
After about 15 minutes we were stopped. But we wanted to continue!
What was our common conclusion? The reason that we found the "other" person obnoxious was that we had the SAME QUALITIES latent in ourselves, but we just didn't act them out, and we resented these qualities because they existed in ourselves, and we didn't like that part of US!
So Epstein, start with turning the mirror on yourself. You will see that the people that you dislike, fear, loathe etc
also exist IN YOURSELF.
After that you can become more compassionate with them, and
WITH YOURSELF.
Namaste!
Jim |
