From the Albano-Waite Tarot, the Queen of Cups; from the Rumi Cards, Breeze at Dawn:
Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.
—Moshsin Hamid
Empathy and kindness define the Queen of Cups, yet here she has a cover over her chalice. She's aware of how easy it is to become submerged in another's suffering when trying to be of help. Breeze at Dawn suggests mentally stepping out of the situation for a moment and seeing with new eyes to refresh our own spirit. Ramos Tsosie*, a 25-year veteran firefighter-paramedic, suggests some ABCs to help:
A) Recognize the activating event - anything that happens that grabs your attention in a negative way.
B) Identify your beliefs about the event and challenge those that are not factual or do not align with your short- and long-term interests. These beliefs influence how we respond.
C) Consider the consequences, or how you respond in feelings and actions. The consequences are functions of our beliefs. Blame and judgment lead to frustration, cynicism, and anger - and ultimately burnout. We can reduce our own stress and when we respond from compassion (including for ourselves) without holding on to any expectations.
*Taken from an article in Tricycle magazine (April 2022)
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