what is the difference between compassion and empathy?

[Plenum]

there are 4 mentions of empathy in the Ra Material.

Compassion, on the other hand, registers 39.

do you see them as being separate in operation?

that is, is it possible to have compassion for someone, and yet not feel empathy?  and vice versa, could one empathize with another's situation, and yet not feel compassion for them (ie, it's their mess, they got it into it, let them sort it out).

I tend to think of empathy and compassion as both heart-centred attributes.

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on further thought, empathy would seem to rely on the principle of commonness of experience; it's easy to empathize with someone who has had similiar experiences, because you know exactly what it feels like.  One could have compassion, and yet not have the means of empathy because of lack of common experience.

[Minyatur]

Like you said one can have compassion yet lack understanding of others. Just like one can understand others and not feel compassion for them.

In term of empathy, I'd say I'm more about understanding and am trying to turn it into feeling as to experience greater compassion.

In term of compassion I do admit thinking "it's others' messes" althought not necessarily in this way. I do not think we all are responsible for the whole world and that each has inner work to do which you cannot do for them. Sure we are everyone, but you cannot do more than how you are needed by others.

A too great compassion can in turn disminish spiritual growth of others because you can be trying to lessen their catalysts without them learning the lessons they need to learn.

[Namaste]

Exactly as you note at the end. Empathy is founded upon a shared/similar experience or state of being, compassion is offered unconditionally.

[Sabou]

I feel like compassion may be a later form of empathy.

To me, empathy is a more personal experience, where you are open and receptive to the others emotions allowing yourself to directly feel with them, allowing their energy to enter your direct experience, and being on the same level as they are in order to relate.

Compassion seems to form as one understands the relationship between their own suffering and that of others through instances of empathy, allowing them to express a more wholesome loving-kindness because they understand the human condition through experience. It would allow them to understand the individuals plight without having the emotion enter into their direct experience so that they would be able to offer a more formidable aid.

[Minyatur]

I do think a feeling of wanting to fix everything is a distortion in itself and a lack of seeing Love in the moment.

In a way, it's kind of disminishing the experiences of others.

[ree]

Empathy is the capacity to understand what others are trying to say, and how they may be experiencing (emotionally). It's an emotive function + conceptual comprehension (in psychology this is how it's usually understood). An empathic conjecture would be when a person is able to pick up what the other self is saying and feeling then be able to put it out into words to describe it. It means the person is able to mirror the overall experience of the other self within themselves, though the actual experience may not be 100% congruent. We have mirror neurons that fire in our body complex that physically demonstrates this empathic ability to be in tune with other self. It's a very lovely moment of connection to be understood.

The etymology of compassion is Con-Passion - with passion or suffering with. You feel strongly for the other and the experience of the other. We show compassion using empathy and act of support... You can also exercise compassionate subjugation - if someone were violent, you try to contain that person with respect and deep care for other. 

So empathy I see as understanding other and compassion is your response to others.

[Karl]

I always sorta saw it as compassion, empathy, and then sympathy as a hierarchy of "spirituality". Sympathy being the lowest (orange ray I think).

[anagogy]

I don't think you can feel true compassion without empathy. If you don't feel empathy, you're just going through the motions.

[Ooo]

what is the difference between compassion and empathy?

Semantics, as always.

Etymologically, they mean exactly the same thing. The only difference is one is Greek and the other Latin (as is usually the case—ever wondered why Greek and Roman mythology are exactly the same?). There's nothing else to it, they are a direct translation of one another:

Latin compassionem
Literally "with passion, feeling, suffering, enduring"
From com- "with, together" + passion "suffering, in the sense of feeling greatly or enduring"

Hence, "the passion of Christ."

Gr. empatheia
Again, "with feeling or pathos"
From em- "in, with" + pathos "feeling, suffering, enduring"

Another variant of the same word is sympathy (sympatheia), which also means exactly the same thing (where the prefix syn- means more "together" rather than empathy's em- "in, with").

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For what it's worth, here's the same root behind many "pathology" terms, such as psychopathy (psychopatheia): feeling, suffering or enduring of the psyche (Greek mind/soul).

[ree]

http://www.matthieuricard.org/en/blog/po...compassion

Matthieu Ricard on empathy and compassion:

On empathy: "Empathy is to feel what others are experiencing and to resonate with them. When we meet someone filled with joy, we also experience joy. The same applies to suffering; though empathy we experience the suffering that another person is going through. "


On compassion: "Altruistic love, according to Buddhism, is an attitude that consists of wishing others to be happy and find the true causes for happiness. And compassion is defined as the desire to put an end to the suffering of others and the causes of that suffering" (altruistic love seems like how Ra explained a balanced yellow ray - to wish people the best).

" It also seemed to us that even though there can be ‟empathy fatigue,” there cannot be ‟compassion fatigue,” since compassion is essentially a wholesome, positive state of mind, while empathy is only the tool that allows one to correctly perceive the state of mind of others.  The more one experiences compassion and loving kindness, the more one progresses towards authentic well-being, and becomes unconditionally available to others." (Sounds like green ray workings)


I kind of understand this empathy-fatigue... intro-jecting others' energies :p Maybe that's why compassion goes with empathy a lot. You need that "wholesome, positive state of mind" to be able to to 'hold' that space for others' suffering. Ah, suffering & sorrow...  

[AnthroHeart]

Is saying you have sympathy for someone an insult?

[Karl]

I personally view sympathy in a distasteful way. Sympathy is weakness. Weakness is slavery.

[Nicholas]

I personally view sympathy in a distasteful way. Sympathy is weakness. Weakness is slavery.

Brene Brown describes sympathy as aversion, or not being able to connect empathetically.

Here is a short vid on empathy:

[third-density-being]

Hello,

In my opinion:

Empathy is a form of perception (Ability)

It is looking at Other-Self as a Whole. Not atomizing, not focusing on some specific behavior or mimic – it is to see Complete Whole and “listen” (with all senses) what this “Wholeness” is “saying”. It’s almost like to imbibing Other-Self, to “taste” His/Her Beingness” at level of One’s Feelings. With such approach, One can know what is in Heart of Other-Self, regardless of what Other-Self is saying/declaring.

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Compassion is a form of processing that, what was perceived (Quality)

It’s an “Emotional Attitude” toward “living Creation” (at least toward that, what is understood as “alive”). I guess it’s connected with “projecting” Self in/at/on encountered “situation of Other-Self” and in the same time adding value to Other-Self’s Feelings – as if He/She was You. Such attitude is closely aligned with “Oneness” (even if on unconscious level).
To validate Other-Self according to same “rules”/”ways”, as One is validating Self.

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Empathy is a powerful tool for Service-to-Self Beings, whom possess no Compassion.


All I have Best in me for You

[Nicholas]

Empathy is a powerful tool for Service-to-Self Beings, whom possess no Compassion.

Simon, you are one of the most thoughtful and sincere members on bring 4th from my perspective. I think the best way to understand what service to self is, is to explore power, or to succumb to temptation.

I agree in that self serving other selves observe and attempt to replicate human characteristics. Empathy however can be understood by a simple smile or a simple mirror reflection of feeling when an other self displays, or projects whatever feeling that is felt by them. An empathic call is like a request to share the burden of reality, or feeling.

Service to self others cannot replicate empathy in other words, for the very reason you you have asserted. Like Love & Light, I feel Empathy & compassion are synonymous, or interchangable.

Much love to you brother. 

[third-density-being]

Hello Dear Nicholas,

Thank You for your reply and your Kind Words.

However, I do possess different understanding of “empathy” and “compassion” and I purposefully labeled them (respectively) as “Ability” and “Quality”.

Ability is what Beings on both Paths (Service-to-Others / Service-to-Self) Share.

Quality is what differs such Beings and may be expressed/presented as an Oppositeness.

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Every-One possess empathy, though within each Being it’s “degree”/”development” vary. Some simply do not use it, because They do not possess the need/desire for it. In such case empathy is “dormant” (All is One – within One lies All).

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Therefore:

Service-to-Others Being perceives “Heart of Other-Self” (empathy) and due to an inner processes develops within Self an attitude toward understanding/sympathy/support (Compassion)

Service-to-Self Being perceives “Heart of Other-Self” (empathy) and due to an inner processes develops within Self an attitude toward understanding/manipulation/usage/harm (oppositeness/mirror-phenomenon of Compassion).

What You’ve described, Dear Nicholas:

An empathic call is like a request to share the burden of reality, or feeling.

- I understand as a description of “Compassion acting upon fruits of Empathy”.

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I’ve met in my life Beings whom were able to read me and Others like a proverbial book, and yet Their intents were always Self-Serving.
My own experiences and recent study of the Archetypes (which is an ongoing process of course) induced within me a “non-rigid” picture of “Division of Service”.

When We are thinking and talking about it, Our language to some degree impose “simply/rigid divisions” that are of “White and Black” nature.
Such take may be depicted as:

This is of course Great Simplification and does not account for an infinite diversity of Life it-Self, where there’s always “Darkness within Light” and “Light within Darkness”. Such take is quite well expressed by Yin Yang:

(…) there’s no absolute yin or yang, each contains the germ of the other.

To use Yin-Yang template for depicting Service-to-Others and Service-to-Self Beings:

It is a mirror image of one another. Similarly, such “Positive Quality” as Compassion possess “mirror image” – I’m uncertain how to label it though.

Thus, “empathy” is not “stand alone” Ability, but always possess “point-of-reference”, whether it is “Compassion” or It’s “Oppositeness” (which has it’s foundation in what We may understand as “Quality/Attribute of a Being”).

Everything in this reality may be used to embrace “Positiveness” or “Negativeness”. I think that Beings on both Paths possess same tools (at least in third-density) and it’s usage depends on the Qualities/Attributes of each Being.

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I’m well aware that I may be mistaken and I would not like to impose my take on this matter on any-One.
Therefore Please, Guard your Thoughts and Value your own Conclusions, as I value mine.


All I have Best in me for You