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this is a photograph of a statue of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara. this version has four arms & one face. however, in many painted & statue versions of the bodhisattva, they are depicted with a thousand arms & multiple faces. the multiple faces are representative of Avalokiteshvara looking in every direction where there is suffering & cries for help. the thousand arms are to reach in every direction in all the myriad of ways assistance is needed, tending to all the suffering.

the common mistake is to think that the bodhisattva is someone or something outside of ourselves, that we are simply calling upon some outside force to help end the suffering in this world. though that can be the case, we often miss the very real, important, & practical point that WE are the faces & the thousand arms of the bodhisattva. we are the ones who can look into the world, tending to the suffering of the world & assist in the myriad ways that are needed. when we call upon the Bodhisattva of Compassion, in a very real way we can call upon the compassion that is right here in our very own tender, open hearts, ready to engage our empathy, mercy, compassion, & put our love into action.

may it be so for those suffering in these fires, for those suffering in war zones, for those suffering oppression, poverty, hunger, illness, injustice & heartbreak.

~j

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