Illumination and Compassion as Default When Everything Seems to be Going to Pieces

When things get really difficult, whether personally, such as sickness, or socially, such as violent conflict, it can feel hard to engage in normal psychospiritual development practice. We may feel too exhausted, agitated or disturbed to sit in meditation, or we may feel numb, reactive and overwhelmed. In such situations, the dharma is actually needed more than ever. It can be lifesaving. But it is not practice as usual. Compassion can kick in when everything else doesn't work. We can feel compassion for our numb, dried-out and contracted heart and soul, and for all others caught in the same situation. We can radiate healing for ourselves and all others. We can go into the shelter when the rockets are falling with deep compassion and kindness for ourselves and others there, and for all caught up in it, on all sides. Illumination is simply the ability to see things clearly as they arise, even if difficult and disturbed, as a changing field of sensations and awareness, that doesn't need us to construct summaries, narratives and views. Something breaks through, and we can feel the sadness and the richness of these moments, however troubling they are. It takes us to a bigger place, and we can look at things both from above and below.