Compassionate Network: A Saturday dedicated to follow through on the Dali Lama’s call

The day began with Eric Liu announcing the adoption of the Seattle Compassionate City Proclamation. We were given handouts of the proclamation with the Seattle City council and Mayor McGinn’s signatures at the bottom. This puts Seattle on the map as the first, but by far nor last, city in the US to adopt this proclamation.

Rabbi Ted Falcon, Jamel Rahman, and Pastor Don Mackenzie spoke to spirituality’s transcendent force: awareness of our interconnected natures with the tremendous diversity that allows us to learn about others; a sense of deeper meaning and purpose from within and something bigger than the self, and connection and love for and from all - compassion.

Jon Remer, Executive Director of the Compassionate Action Network and Lora-Ellen McKinney, CAN communications director kicked on a 10-year campaign for the Compassionate Action Network. He cited Karen Armstrong as the visionary who began CAN with her wish for all cities in the world to live by the golden rule. He called on individuals to take action in their personals lives, as community members to contribute towards creating compassion in our city, and as leaders in other cities to start a compassionate Action network in their city. Richard Conlin and Marcelas Owens joined them to celebrate and read from the Seattle Compassionate City Proclamation.

Karen Armstrong , the creator of the Compassionate City Proclamation, congratulated Seattle for being the first city in the US to adopt the proclamation. Karen spoke of work as a religious historian and frustration in the lack of building a global community based on the golden rule. She remembered her wish made at TED for all to live by the golden rule. Her travels across the planet uncovered the same desire for compassionate. A compassionate city must look out- it is not enough to have compassion for just your city. Karen tells us, from her work with leaders across the globe hat other cities are watching Seattle, seeking to learn and to do as we do. She talked about the positive and the negative aspect of the golden rule. Always treat others as you would like them to treat you. Do not onto others what you would not like them to do unto you. Only if people take action in their own lives, will we arrive at a compassionate global community. Look into your own heart; discover what gives you pain, and refuse to inflict this pain on another. Creating a compassionate city starts at home& requires practice all-day and everyday: first as an individual, then as a community.