Lets use the example of a lack of empathy to illustrate the Twelve Nidanas of dependent origination.
1. Ignorance (avijja): The person lacks understanding of the true nature of reality, including the interconnectedness of all beings and the importance of empathy in social interactions.
2. Mental formations (Sankhara): Due to ignorance, the person forms habitual patterns of self-centered thinking, leading to a lack of empathy for others.
3. Consciousness (viññana): The persons consciousness is conditioned by these mental formations, leading to a limited perspective that is focused mainly on their own needs.
4. Name and form (nama-rupa): The persons body and mind (psychophysical constituents) manifest in a way that is inclined towards self-centered thinking.
5. The six sense bases (salayatana): The persons sense organs (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mind) interact with the external world.
6. Contact (phassa): The person encounters situations or stimuli involving other beings, but without sensitivity or awareness to others mental states, emotions and feelings.
7. Feeling (vedana): The person experiences a limited range of feelings towards others as they are projecting their own thinking.
8. Craving (tanha): The person craves for their own personal success and satisfaction, leading to a lack of interest in the needs and feelings of others.
9. Clinging (upadana): The persons attachment to their self-centered thinking intensifies, and they cling to their lack of empathy as a way of protecting their own interests.
10. Becoming (bhava): This clinging to lack of empathy reinforces the persons self-centered behavior patterns, perpetuating the cycle of ignorance and suffering.
11. Birth (jati): The persons lack of empathy materializes in a way that is detrimental to their social relationships.
12. Old age and death (jara-marana): The persons lack of empathy, if left unaddressed, can lead to severe mental and emotional suffering, and negative consequences in their future lives.
In this example, we can see how the Twelve Nidanas apply to the arising and perpetuation of a lack of empathy. By recognizing the interdependence of the Twelve Links and cultivating mindfulness, a person can work towards breaking the cycle of self-centered thinking and ignorance, ultimately developing empathy, love, and compassion towards others.

How to break cycle at each point:

To break the cycle of ignorance and lack of empathy in this illustration, one could focus on several points:

1. Ignorance (avijja): By cultivating wisdom and insight through study, reflection, and meditation, one can gain a deeper understanding of the interconnected nature of all beings and the importance of empathy in social relationships. This can help to reduce ignorance and the resultant lack of empathy.

2. Mental formations (Sankhara): By practicing mindful awareness of ones thoughts, emotions, and behavior patterns, and cultivating wholesome mental states through meditation, one can break free of negative habit patterns, including self-centered thinking, that perpetuate the cycle of suffering.

3. Consciousness (viññana): Through the practice of mindfulness meditation, one can develop greater awareness of the workings of consciousness and the impact of mental states on ones perception of reality. This can help to broaden ones perspective and reduce self-centeredness.

4. Name and form (nama-rupa): By recognizing and investigating the underlying mental and emotional factors that contribute to ones lack of empathy, including ones own biases and conditioning, one can begin to break free of these patterns and cultivate greater empathy towards others.

5. The six sense bases (salayatana): By practicing mindfulness of the senses and developing greater sensitivity towards others needs and feelings, one can broaden ones range of perception and reduce the tendency towards self-centered thinking.

6. Contact (phassa): By engaging in interpersonal communication with mindfulness and sensitivity towards others, one can reduce negative interactions and harmful misunderstandings, promoting greater empathy and connection.

7. Feeling (vedana): By practicing equanimity and recognizing the transitory nature of feelings, one can reduce attachment to pleasant experiences and aversion to unpleasant ones, broadening ones perspective and reducing self-centeredness.

8. Craving (tanha): Through the practice of meditation and mindfulness, one can become aware of and investigate the underlying motives for ones desires and attachments, including a lack of empathy towards others. By developing insight into the impermanent and unsatisfactory nature of craving, one can reduce its grip and promote greater empathy and wholesome intentions.

9. Clinging (upadana): By recognizing and investigating the underlying psychological factors that contribute to ones lack of empathy, including fear, pride, and attachment, one can develop insight and reduce clinging to negative patterns of thought and behavior.

10. Becoming (bhava): By developing greater awareness of the interconnected nature of all beings and the impact of ones thoughts and actions on others, one can cultivate wholesome intentions and reduce negative karmic formations that perpetuate the cycle of suffering.

11. Birth (jati): By developing greater empathy and sensitivity towards others, one can cultivate positive social relationships that promote mutual well-being, reducing negative consequences for oneself and others.

12. Old age and death (jara-marana): By reducing the tendency towards self-centered thinking and cultivating greater empathy and wholesome intentions, one can reduce negative consequences and promote greater well-being, reducing the potential for mental and emotional suffering.