Compassion Relays
Connect Everyone With Compassion!
Let your group shine with the light of many torches for compassion! Be part of the Eco-heroes Compassion Relays!
How It Works
1. Commit to Carry the Torch. The Torch represents your commitment to discover and record compassion in your everyday life.
2. Carry the Torch. Note compassion daily for one week. Make it real. Bring compassion to life!
Individuals and Members of Groups:: Each day for one week write down (or capture via artistic expression/photo/video) one thought or action that shows compassion in your own daily life. Explore all 3 dimensions of compassion: caring for others, caring for self, and caring for the Earth.
Keep it simple! It can be something you do, something you discover, or something you observe someone else do. Have fun!
Be on a treasure hunt for compassion. See examples of simple daily thoughts and acts of compassion provided below.
Make the Relays part of your group’s existing activities. The following are examples of projects and programs that can be used as a springboard for the Relays:
● Community service projects: building a home/shelter for the homeless; food collection for food pantries; fundraising for humanitarian causes; kindness projects for the community; projects helping the elderly, etc.; You could join the Global Youth Service Day (see a lot of materials at our project site in the „Materials section”.
● Compassion studies: book clubs, mentoring with schools and youth groups;
● Social action/community outreach: partnerships with other groups and schools, such as offering a service-learning opportunity for youth to exercise compassion in their community;
● Caring Committee: demonstrating the power of mindful and "intelligent kindness";
3. Pass on the Torch. As a group, engage at least one other group. As an individual, engage at least one other person. You are kindly invited to share your daily Compassion Relays thoughts and actions via our Compassion Forum at our project site.
Compassion entries could also be published at our Eco-heroes in Action Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ecoheroesinaction . You are also encouraged to like the Compassion Games International Facebook page and follow Twitter: @CompassionGames.
4. Share/report. At the end of the week share your thoughts/acts of
compassion via a short report at our Compassion Relays Reports section and if you wish you could also send your report through the global Compassion Map (http://compassiongames.org/compassionmap/) and briefly tell what you learned through your Relays experience.
You should report as a group, sharing some of the thoughts/actions and overall experience of your group at the end of the week.
Examples of simple daily thoughts and acts of compassion
Compassion/caring for others
1. Have members of your group capture and share acts of compassion they witness. “Today I witnessed a wonderful act of compassion. A little girl fell down and
began to cry. Her brother came running and helped her back up, checked to be sure
she wasn’t hurt, and put his arm around her to comfort her.”
2. Invite members of your group to share inspirational videos. Include a favorite example at the beginning of a meeting or time of worship.
3. Volunteer to help one another in your group: “I helped wash and dry the dishes after our family ate supper together” or “I read a book to my grandmother who has difficulty seeing these days.”
Compassion/caring for self
1. Plan a field trip to a labyrinth or take a walking meditation as a group.
2. Share healthy, delicious recipes among members of your group. Consider publishing a cookbook, either online or in print.
3. Integrate meditation into your group’s activities.
4. Read a good book/article that helps show ways to strengthen compassion and empathy. Post 140-character reviews of it in your organization’s newsletter.
Compassion/caring for the Earth
1. Pledge as a group to use reusable bags to carry my purchases.
2. Set up a community garden on your community’s property. Pledge to donate some portion of your harvest to the local food bank.
3. Brainstorm how your group can use less energy.
4. Go outside with your camera and photograph the beauty of nature. Share the images in a slideshow before or after your group meets together.
Finally, you could get inspired by Karl Grass--Compassion Haiku (you can find excerpts from the Compassion Haiku, which provides daily insights and practices for developing compassion for yourself and for others).
http://voiceseducation.org/node/4035