Sympathizing with a person or group of people who are suffering is a good thing, especially when it is accompanied by a genuine desire to help and heal.
On the other hand, being mentally drawn into the suffering of others—being mesmerized, or hypnotized, into believing in and fearing the supposed cause of their suffering—is not a good thing. This kind of sympathy—sometimes referred to as sympathetic mesmerism—can actually paralyze one’s ability to heal.
So, how can you and I maintain our sympathy for those in distress in a way that keeps our thought free of paralyzing emotions, and opens the way for real and meaningful help and healing?
