26: #26 – A Quivering of the Heart; Compassion

Compassion: A Quivering of the Heart w/ Kara Haney

Compassion (Karuna) is one of the primary heart teachings. It is the felt experience in response to a being’s pain. When we understand this through practice, we are able to cultivate compassion for our own pain and the pain of others. Thus compassion becomes a vehicle of connection, further dissolving the myth of separateness and isolation. This felt sense of separateness, the identification of being separate from, not included, or abandoned; perpetuates our pain and often is a reason why we use substances and process addictions. By developing this practice of compassion, we can begin to turn towards and see the pain, not run from or suppress it, but to recognize, open to and acknowledge that pain and sorrow exists and is a common experience with all beings. Let’s care about pain together and see what arises in seeing the true nature of suffering in the world.

Kara Haney has practiced meditation and studied Buddhism since 1993. With over twenty years in recovery, her background includes both Buddhist practice in the understanding of craving and twelve-step recovery. Since 2013 she has assisted in starting Buddhist recovery groups within communities, addiction treatment facilities, and jails; and continues to be a foundational member and mentor for the Buddhist recovery community. Kara was empowered to teach by Bob Stahl and was also trained to facilitate Mindfulness and Buddhist meditation by JoAnna Hardy and Vinny Ferraro of the former Against the Stream Meditation Society. She teaches weekly Dharma groups, daylong retreats, and offers Dharma courses such as “A Year to Live” and “Eightfold Path.” Kara completed a twenty-year career as a dental surgical assistant and currently enjoys living in Santa Cruz while working towards a Masters degree in Social Work.

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