Imagine that you
are having difficulties with a loved one, such as your mother or father, husband
or wife, lover or friend. How helpful and revealing it can be to consider the
other person not in his or her “role” of mother or father or husband, but simply
as another “you,” another human being, with the same feelings as you, the same
desire for happiness, the same fear of suffering. Thinking of the other one as a
real person, exactly the same as you, will open your heart to him or her and
give you more insight into how to help. ---Rigpa
This makes perfect sense to me. There's no question that when you consider the other person you are having conflict with as just another human, your guard will go down. Your urge to 'do battle' will subside. I have found, in fact, that if I carry it a step further, and try to visualize them as a child, that works for me, too. My compassion steps in, as well.
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