Empathy at first glance, like quantum particles, may seem too small to be significant in evolution.

Newtonian science and our society often focus upon the tangible realm of evolution. Quantum physics understands the smaller, less noticeable and more subtle aspects can impact situations far more.   

Newtonian science would hold as language, tools, and technology expand society evolves. However, there have been ancient civilizations that evolved in this manner to the brink of destruction and even extinction. It’s hard to know all the dynamic events that impacted some of the most noted and intriguing disappearances of civilizations such as Egypt, Rome, Anasazi and Aztec, Atlantis and Mu. 

It’s widely accepted that many of these ancient societies had advanced technology and still seemed to fall and/or disappear. It’s hard enough not to repeat history even when we know the story. It’s harder still if we don’t know what happened.

Technology without connection doesn’t compute. Without a connection of heart it becomes mechanistic and devoid of life. Worse yet, a lack of connection and compassion for others may sow the seeds of our own demise. War, scarcity, poverty, injustice and overuse of resources all have their roots in a lack of empathy.

The word empathy means the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Synonyms for empathy include affinity, communion, compassion and soul. Further defining soul gives us: breath of life, heart and essence.

To evolve is to come forth or develop gradually into being. A few synonyms are advance, emerge and excogitate. Excogitate means to contemplate, conceive and invent. Therefore, several definitions of empathetically evolve could be invent essence; conceive heart, contemplate breath of life.

Is it possible to “conceive” or “invent” our own evolution? If we could, how would we? If we knew our “being” we could unfold it and emerge. A butterfly coming out of it’s cocoon is the image that comes to mind. Does the caterpillar know it’s a butterfly when it’s a chrysalis?

The thermodynamic law of conservation in physics tells us energy is not ever created or destroyed it is merely transformed.  Intriguing alchemy! Spirit is the only elemental force that is eternal. All else in our evolutionary process will pass away and return back to the earth. The place that holds our energetic signature, our heart, soul or spirit will survive.

It takes awareness to see how all things are dynamically related and interconnected. One unique way to visualize our connectivity is to use mirrors. Because what we perceive comes from our own data and past experiences, when we see something in someone else we have experienced it ourselves on some level, in some way.

If we do not see the correlation then it is probably something we have denied or do not want to see because it’s too painful or we have yet to forgive ourselves.

Shifting our perspective to use our external world as mirrors for our own alchemical process of refinement is another method for developing empathy. When we accept that people reflect what is going on within us we see opportunities to let go, grow and evolve in ways without this unique perspective we would ordinarily miss.

Here is an exercise to give have the experience first hand: 

When something happens that you notice in your world with regard to a person or group of people focus on that particular piece of awareness. Look at it fully. Describe what is going on, this will be based upon your perception. Some clients find it helpful to journal what they are seeing. How does noticing this make you feel? Connect with what is going on inside you and your reaction to the person or situation. What do you notice? How in your life do you relate to what you perceive?

It takes willingness to stop blaming and take responsibility for how our brain is interpreting the event and/or experience. How we are interpreting the situation is a direct feedback loop for our disposition, attitude and life lesson for our evolution.

If you can not find the key to the connection, ask yourself how you could forgive this situation or person. Life is not linear. When we are able to forgive others we also forgive ourselves and vise versa.

Mirrors and empathy also occur in the other direction as well.  What you experience is also having an affect on others. For example, it’s not uncommon to see how we are linked energetically and emotionally while witnessing what happens with babies when one baby starts to cry. Soon there after multiple babies are also crying.

While I do not condone scientific studies against the will of  animals and/or humans. This particular study is worth mentioning because it shows animals and humans have special wiring in the brain called mirror neurons to provide the connection for empathy.

Jeremy Rifkin shares the following information in his presentation to the RSA which you can watch in full on the community page of this website. In 1990 in Parma Italy an experiment was conducted that used a Macaw monkey connected to an MRI brain scanning machine. The scientist wanted to see how the neurons would light up as the monkey learned to open a peanut. A technician came into the observation room and saw the peanuts and decided to eat one. The monkey was not moving only watching the human open the peanut but the MRI wired to the monkey’s neurons lit up.  Surprised, at first the scientist thought the machine was broken. Scientists continued to do experiments on animals to find that all humans, monkeys chimpanzees, dolphins, elephants, dogs and others animals all have mirror neurons.

Therefore, no matter what others, including animals are doing when we observe them our mirror neurons automatically fire in the same way as if we were experiencing it ourselves. This is our empathetic connection not just with fellow humans but with many animals and they with us as well.

Think of a place where everyone takes responsibility for how they are interpreting their experience. There would be no blaming others and no aggression or war.

I’m reminded of the lesson of “turn the other cheek.” There are many religions that share this teaching of nonviolence. This is a teaching of the correlation of empathy and seeing the world as one.

When we see the world as a mirror we become one with the universe. Every experience shows us more of who we are and aspects of ourselves we didn’t noticing before. Every person is a reflection of us in some way. We truly are one.

When we can forgive others as we forgive ourselves and vise versa we will heal ourselves and the world. We will have found the keys to the kingdom and it will be heaven on earth. We will conceive one heart, invent the essence of one spirit and contemplate one breath together. We will be truly inspired. It will be amazing grace!

This is the journey to empathetically evolve on our heart path!

Click here to view Jeremy Rifkin's Empathic Civilization