>I believe the two writers are describing sympathy (I feel what you feel)
>rather than compassion. Compassion starts with a sympathetic reaction to
>another's plight or experience and, seeing the bigger picture, takes a
>supportive action. The action might be to tolerate, foregive or, more
>overtly, to interveen. Without action at some level, we are only voyeurs at
>a train wreck.
Good point. There may be more "sympathy" than "compassion" in the
discussion and examples. Compassion, by definition, implies and urge to
help. The feeling experience, in order to be compassionate, must lead to
action, rather than being stable -- voyeurs only. The examples, then would
have to be expanded to include at least the urge to help.
This does not, however, negate the primary observation: that it is a
experience, both with "body" and "mind", which I called mind/body ... a
whole experience ... and the potential confusion of what reality is,
relative to the situation.
Thanks for pointing out the finer points.
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gstarnes@bga.com (Gerry Starnes)