As I reflect on what it means to truly Live and Rebel I have come to realize that embracing Love and Compassion is the path to personal freedom as well as a means to help heal our hurting planet. In my rebellious youth, I believed my anger against the establishment would affect change in the world. I have come to learn that anger begets more anger, love and compassion beget more love and compassion. According to the Dalai Lama in his article entitled "Living the Compassionate Life": "The teachings of mindfulness and compassion typically lead to feelings of kindness and self -confidence. Positive action inevitably leads to inner strength. Greater inner strength leads to less fear and more self-confidence. With our inner strength, we have a far greater ability to extend our sense of caring across all cultural and religious barriers." This will potentially bring much needed healing to a world that is currently riddled with so much fear.
At every level of society, be it our families, nation or planet, the key to a happier and more successful world is growing our compassion. For me this speaks to Living as much or more than Rebelling. You may be asking how do we become more compassionate beings? For this rebel, it starts with becoming quiet, going into the silence with meditation and prayer. It’s doesn’t require that we become “religious” nor believe in any particular ideology. The development of our good human qualities, leads to the cultivation of individual happiness which can profoundly contribute to the overall improvement of the entire human family.