Ask: Why not empathy as well as sympathy in your last article?

“Re: Your last article (May 26) I am wondering ‘WHY Not EMPATHY as well as SYMPATHY’ in the last sentence of your paragraph #4 in this edition?” – MA


“Empathy” means the ability to enter into what another is feeling because you feel or have felt that way, too. “Sympathy” can mean this or compassion or pity where you feel sorry for another without entering into their feelings. Because I was using them comparatively I meant sympathy as “compassion” rather than “empathy”. I was making the point that a shift had occurred for me. I could no longer step into the personal thought system (ego) without feeling disoriented. My awareness that the personal thought system does not make sense was no longer just intellectual but experiential. So instead of trying to empathize with my friend, or enter into her feelings as I once would have done, I could offer her only sympathy.

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A lot falls away as you get closer to Truth and your peace grows. It can be confusing. One of the things I help my clients sort out is if they are repressing or if things are falling away naturally. Why remain confused or uncertain? You can contact me to set up an appointment at Liz@acimmentor.com and learn more at www.acimmentor.com.

Comments

Christine said…
I read somewhere that empathy is like seeing someone down in a pit, and your jumping down in it to be with the person...whereas sympathy is your looking down in the pit seeing the person there and not jumping in to be in the pit too...but understanding the person and even being kind, or helping him or her out of the "pit" if wanted. Throw him a rope, etc. .
5:40 AM
Christine said…
Kind of like how the Holy Spirit sees us! Except the HS knows it's not real/reality...but is kind and patient with our lack of awareness (of Truth)...
5:58 AM
hannah said…
i kept on going back to this blog, i dont know why it took so many reads for it to click, but it did..

"My awareness that the personal thought system does not make sense was no longer just intellectual but experiential. "

it was EXPERIENTIAL, not just intellectual! that makes me so happy.

liz, this time reading, also, i was surprised at the line 'So instead of trying to empathize with my friend, or enter into her feelings as I once would have done'. somehow i didnt picture you ever trying to enter into egos feelings to empathise!
7:26 AM
hannah said…
well.. not for years and years, anyway
7:27 AM
ACIM Mentor said…
That was a few years ago, Hannah. But it is only recently that I've come to understand what I was attempting, automatically, but found I could no longer do.
7:57 AM
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