Fierce Compassion

“Some people mistake being loving for being a sap. Quite the contrary, the most loving people are often the most fierce and the most acutely armed for battle… for they care about preserving & protecting those goodly endeavors that cannot be allowed to perish from this earth…”
“The Dangerous Old Woman” by CP Estes

When I put those two words together “fierce compassion” it confuses people. How could we be both fierce & compassionate at the same time? My response is “how could we not be in this day and age?”

The term “compassion” has been beaten down to a sad apology served on soggy toast. Sometimes it’s a plea to be liked or to appear “spiritual”.

Fierce compassion means being kind and clear. It invites us to meet a soft edge within ourselves and fierce compassion is not willing to be complicit. When we are complicit with others’ bad behavior we “disappear ourselves” and set ourselves up for more resentment or harm.

Fierce compassion reveals our inner worth and it is our inner worth that determines outer conditions.

Fierce compassion gives a damn, it’s that simple. Fierce compassion reveals what we care about, it shines a light on our values and allows us to embody self respect and dignity–it is a key to living an authentic, empowered life. Where in your life could there be more of this quality?