A Journey of Compassion

I’m Daniel Shields — I was born in Cape Town in 1989, at a time when the world was reshaping itself. The Berlin Wall was about to fall, apartheid’s grip was loosening, and the cosmos mirrored this transformation with a rare astrological conjunction of Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. It was a time of deep collective change, sowing the seeds of transformation I would spend my life exploring.

That same current stirred in me from a young age. At just four years old, I chose to stop eating animals — a quiet yet powerful expression of my connection to compassion, the essence of Karuna. I’ve been a lifelong vegetarian, and as I came to understand the immense suffering animals endure, I transitioned to a vegan lifestyle, which I’ve maintained for the past fifteen years.

"Karuṇā" is a Sanskrit term, meaning compassion or mercy. It’s a core concept in Buddhism and Hinduism, emphasizing a deep awareness of the suffering of others and a commitment to alleviating it. In Buddhist philosophy, Karuna is often paired with wisdom (Prajna) as a path to enlightenment.

I believe the world is in deep need of compassion — not as a lofty ideal, but as a living, actionable force. The kind of change we need isn’t just external or political; it begins within. True transformation arises from the heart, from the spirit, and from a willingness to align our inner world with the healing we wish to see in the outer one.

During my second year at university, I had a profound spiritual awakening in the form of an out-of-body experience. It was unlike anything I’d ever encountered and sent me searching through spiritual material for answers. For a while, nothing truly resonated — until I discovered The Law of One. The philosophy and perspective in those teachings sparked a mental and spiritual shift that helped me understand my awakening and opened my heart in a way I had never experienced before.

That moment set me on a lifelong path of exploration and healing. I’ve since immersed myself in studies and practices such as Reiki, astrology, life coaching, meditation, and hypnosis for past-life regression and healing. Along the way, I’ve experienced a number of mystical events — including witnessing a UFO hovering over my home before leaving the atmosphere at an impossible speed — but my core focus remains spiritual growth and being of service to others.

While studying for my master’s degree, I also began training as a transpersonal hypnotherapy practitioner. Through all my work — whether in healing, coaching, or spiritual practice — I’ve come to see compassion not just as a principle, but as the most powerful catalyst for real, lasting transformation. It’s the thread that weaves through everything I do — whether it’s compassion for oneself, for animals, or for others.

Today, I’m the web developer at L/L Research and founder of Endawn, where we’re working to make global meditations fun, accessible, and meaningful.