Adapted from Dr. Judith Orloff’s NY Times bestseller “Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself From Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life” (Three Rivers Press, 2011)
All our political candidates need to be sent back to compassion school. They need to take vows before they run for office that they will have compassion for we the people, for each other, for our global family, for the earth. These candidates need to become more than talk show hosts or master of ceremonies trying to woo us for votes. We condone such terrible behavior on television, candidates attacking each other, doing anything to win. Politicians shouldn’t be allowed to act so hatefully anymore.
I miss the time of the Philosopher Kings, creative thinkers with a conscience who were connected to the mysteries of human life and the universe. People who could get beyond their egos to see there is a greater meaning and purpose to leadership than grandiosity or power.
As a physician, I have devoted my life to helping patients heal hatred, self-loathing, and fear to get beyond their egos to experience the power of their hearts. True wellness can never occur if compassion isn’t a key ingredient to how we lead our lives. In my book “Emotional Freedom,” which proposes an ongoing experiment in compassion, I stress how mental, physical, and spiritual health is contingent on it. Compassion is the ability to put yourself in other people’s shoes, to have empathy for their feelings--even if you don’t like someone, even if you disagree with every word they say. This doesn’t make you a doormat or a pushover. It gives you the clarity of heart to make positive, smart decisions whether you stay in a relationship or not. When you can see where someone else is coming from, not through judgment but a desire to improve communication, we have a chance of transforming the world.
There are many arguments to perpetuate the bad behavior of politicians. These all break my heart. For instance, the argument that “attack ads work.” When this is cited as a good reason why candidates use them, it makes many people want to give up on human nature. Who cares if they “work” or not except for power hunger egomaniacs? Hatred begets hatred. There is no compassion here. There is no respect for the honor of the political process or the human beings engaged in it. Why would we ever want someone to be our leader who is hateful, vindictive, and lusts only for the aphrodisiac of power? Many people tell me, “It’s too late. Our system is broken.” I believe compassion is so powerful it can heal even broken systems.
I propose that every prospective candidate sign these vows of compassion before they are even allowed to run. They must be committed to national and international wellness. If they don’t fulfill these vows they need to be called on it with the same vehemence of any candidate who betrays their campaign promises. Compassion is one key factor that makes a candidate fit to run. It’s really not as complicated as everyone is making it. Compassion is a vow that can change everything, for us as individuals and for the political process.
7 Compassionate Vows for Political Candidates
It’s vital that we keep it simple and not give lofty intellectual excuses for why we and the candidates can’t try to be good, loving people in all our affairs. You can call me naïve, but I believe that to save the human race and this magnificent planet we are on, compassion must be part of our daily prayer. Some days we many achieve it, other days we won’t. But we have to want compassion, to fight for it, to vote for leaders who are committed to it. Leaders must earn our trust with the compassion they show. World leaders can be compassionate and also be strong, intelligent, and make decisions based on the welfare of all our human family.
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Comments (23)
Judith Orloff M.D. is a psychiatrist and author of Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself From Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life. Her other bestsellers are Positive Energy, Second Sight, and Guide to Intuitive Healing. Dr. Orloff combines traditional medicine with intuition, spirituality, and energy medicine. More information at www.drjudithorloff.com.
Comments
a spiritual cleansing. Everything that is not working in our lives and in our world is coming to the surface. Think of it like getting a cut on your finger, it gets infected, and the pus has to come up before it can be cleansed and healed. This is what we're
seeing these past few years. In our government, politics, education, health care, banks, financial, churches, our personal lives, and on and on it goes. It is only until we can see what ISN'T working before we can clear away the pus and heal it. Maybe that's
part of what 2012 is all about? Thanks again!
has no laws in our country that make it tell us the truth. In fact they won in court and are able to lie, twist, and deceive the population. This is at our peril. I have several of your books, please do more research and understand the people you condemn.
Ron Paul is highly compassionate, and has shown much class and incredible patience with the vicious media twisting his message, telling flat out lies to hide from the public the candidate that will actually work for them. Ron Paul is the only one who doesn't
accept bribes from lobbyists, and he is known as incorruptible. He is the only one not funded by the big banks, tje only only one talking about the real issues and not misdirecting. He. Is only one who follows the law and has his entire career, the only one
not to retire off of taxpayer money ( which they can do after serving only one term!) I can go on and on. Please research Ron Paul and do not lump him in with psychopaths & snake oil salesman he is surrounded by. Thank you.
next submit, I'll attempt to get the hang of it!
spreading lies and nastiness. One reason I voted for Barack Obama was because of the gentlemanly way in which he responded to Hillary and Bill Clinton's negative attacks. Even though I certainly don't approve of all he's done, I will most likely vote for him
again--in part for that same reason. At times, and more and more often, he looks like the only adult in the playschool that passes for American politics.
tactics and language used. We are a little less cantankerous here in Canada, but each year sees us sliding further and further down the splippery slope that lately has dominated the election process in a Country that I and most Canadians love.
disregard for unborn children. Compassion for all children will eventually lead to compassionate politicians. Thanks for a great article.
good word. Maybe start a petition?
creative, out of the box thinking to create synergy. Better than compromise - finding ways to reach a goal that everyone is happy with.
in the corporate world, banking, pharmaceutical industry.... ohhh think about that. My background is in HR, personnel & organisational development. These thoughts have always been part of any programme we created especially for leaders, I am looking forward
to co-create and cooperate in this endeavour!! Many blessings, Gabriele
as they are much too sensitive to survive the attacks and the institutionalized corruption. The superficiality and narcissism that is evident amongst the candidates reflects a greater problem in our culture: personality cults that pay homage to fame, fortune
and appearance. When a large percentage of the populace spends more time escaping from "reality" by watching the latest escapades of reality show characters or being hypnotized by spectator sports, then critical thinking ceases to exist. We can only hope that
enough people awaken to a higher consciousness, so that an energetic shift can elevate humanity to a higher level of truth and compassion.
our neighbors! Do we respect ourselves and our neighbors! Let us entrust ourselves and our neighbors! three words Love + respect + trust = Peace It's that simple. Love respect and trust for ourselves, for others, for the whole of nature and the environment.
That's all Do we love ourselves and our neighbors! Do we respect ourselves and our neighbors! Let us entrust ourselves and our neighbors! three words Love + respect + trust = Peace It's that simple. Love, respect and trust for ourselves, for others, for the
whole of nature and the environment. That's all. Do we love ourselves and our neighbors! Do we respect ourselves and our neighbors! Let us entrust ourselves and our neighbors! three words Love + respect + trust = Peace It's that simple.
if it's a woman, look out. Is this just my own perception or has anyone else noticed this?
beliefs on the whole population is not part of our constitution's purpose. It's time we eliminated religion out of covernment and let it remain with the individual.
but what our forefathers painted on the dome of the US Capitol “e pluribus unum” (We are all in this together), we could soar!!!