That is beautiful! You never know, perhaps one of those sports car owners will be inspired by your kindness and will decided to shed some of their own kindness on another person or for a wonderful cause.
It's human nature to have a "me" vs "the other" outlook; it's natural to have survival fears and instincts. There is nothing wrong or sinful about that, it's how we're made. Yet we do exist in a cosmos that is all connected. We are all connected. I feel we are meant to resolve that dichotomy. Awakening to, and living our connection resolves the human condition. But oh is it hard!
I try to set aside quiet time each day to fill myself with little mantras that remind me of connection. One of my mantras is, "Place your conscious focus in the truth that all beings are ONE being. All creations are ONE creation. All fulfillment is ONE fulfillment. In this ONE moment you are fulfillment itself."
These mantras can usually fill me with such happiness that it is like nourishment to my body and mind. In this way I feel I am helping humanity.
@maggieci I love your mantra! I will try it in meditation today.
Years back I used to say this mantra, I am awareness. Something marvelous would happen. The world around me would become suddenly vivid, intensely vibrant, the trees, the sounds, the furniture. I am suddenly awake, present, here in this moment.
Years back when I used to go to Kripalu Yoga Center, we'd say some Sanskrit mantras, Om Nama shivaya, which I'm sure many here know means, "I honor myself". Also Om Nama, Bhagavate Vasudevaya which is a Hindu mantra that creates a circle of protection and goodness around you. I learned and said this mantra at Kripalu for hours, not even knowing what it meant, and felt wonderful!
Today with all the divisiveness, it helps to remind myself that we are all one. During the Circle of Light, when we do the loving kindness meditation, oneness is the ultimate state we achieve as we work our way up to opening our hearts to the whole world. The feeling is glorious.
But it is not possible to maintain a happy enlightened state. I still find it painful when someone from the Trump cult or the anti-vax cult starts speaking that propaganda to me. I have tried to reason with them. I have tried to just love them. But mostly I have to keep them away from me, heal from the brainwashed statements they make, and get back to self love with I honor myself and I am awareness.
That is beautiful! You never know, perhaps one of those sports car owners will be inspired by your kindness and will decided to shed some of their own kindness on another person or for a wonderful cause.
I love this thought. The multiplier effect!
That is beautiful! You never know, perhaps one of those sports car owners will be inspired by your kindness and will decided to shed some of their own kindness on another person or for a wonderful cause.
I love this thought. The multiplier effect!
I suspect most people don't even realize they got an extra 5 or 10 minutes. They'll probably think they just checked the time incorrectly, if they checked at all. Or they think the meter malfunctioned. Initially I started feeding parking meters as a way to help smooth over the rough spots in peoples' lives-- figuring if someone is spared from getting a ticket they will have a better day and be nicer to others and negativity won't be multiplied.
What I didn't realize was that the practice is actually heart-opening. Who knew?
I've realized that Ive been more helpful to others by dealing with my own pain. Meditation to me has always been a tool to relax and calm my racing mind but lately it's evolved to more of a introspective tool. I've been healing aspects of myself that I had chosen to ignore as a child. Accepting.
I've also been reading some nuggets from Buddhism. One particular meditation is one about death and how it can be used for compassion. I've been actively using this one when meeting new people, people I don't agree with and more just to feel a small connection towards them, maybe try and understand them. I think one of the greatest tools I've been given in this life has been pain because I've been able to turn it into empathy.
I do realize that this might be elementary to some of you but for me it's been particularly beneficial. It's been particularly beneficial to me as a future teacher.