The sweetest thing ever. Love in action.
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Thursday, August 28, 2014
True Love
“Love is a tremendous caring that arises in the wake of transcending the personal self. In the wake of this transcendence, something amazing arises. A deep love and caring arises from within emptiness, from nowhere. This love and caring seeks only the Truth in every moment and in all circumstances. True love is something far greater than anything that could be called personal. True love is a non-personal miracle. It is the nature of reality itself. It is the natural and spontaneous expression of the undivided Self.”
(Adyashanti)
Monday, July 7, 2014
What is Truly Important?
Mysore, India
“Remember that nobody is who you think. There is no person walking this Earth that you will ever fully know for you each have a different experience of each other based upon what it is in you that connects or does not connect with the other person. Know this. The truth is that the more you connect to your love and to who you are, the more clearly you will be seen by all. Some will not be able to see this. You will be invisible to them. Trust that. Allow them that. Just be you, unashamedly, and gloriously. You came here to experience being you; and the more you give yourself to the highest heights of that, the more you give change to the world.”
(Lee Harris)
Throughout my journey in this life I have been forced to look honestly at my shortcomings, but sometimes our own shortcomings have a way of being projected onto what we may or may not think are the shortcomings of others. An easy trap to fall into. For when we look to the failings of others it only distracts us from our own work, our own growth. I find it interesting that even in the yoga community we can get stuck on viewing people as right or wrong. Duality consciousness. What I have gathered is it seems that the ego doesn't even care who is right or wrong just as long as we can label others as such and continue the ongoing belief of separation. An illusory comfort that inhibits us from going beyond the material world.
With all this being said, I am in no way saying I have reached the apex of non-judgment thinking in my day to day life. I'm working on it. However, whenever rubbed up against thinking this person is right and this person is wrong, as a practice I do my best to investigate further on what is really going on inside. Why do I have to compartmentalize right now? What am I afraid of? Why is this bringing up the need to make someone or something wrong?
The beautiful thing I have learned through this investigation is having the opportunity to have any judgement I held inside to be proven unjustified when I simply get to know someone further, beyond what I may "think" of them. Often I am pleasantly surprised that what I thought was portrayed on the outside or even through the gossip of others that it was usually way off base.
Separation consciousness is alive and well and can happen anywhere in any community and is something I have had to continually be vigilant in regards to how I look at the outer world. Within myself when I feel the need to make others wrong it only points to the fact that I am disconnected. An unfortunate fact and one that I have to remain conscious of.
Within all of this, within all the drama that can produce itself in the mind I am reminded by the question, what is truly important? Beyond right and wrong? Beyond silly criticisms of yoga selfies and who is truly spiritual? Beyond who gets it and who doesn't? The things that deter us from what is important. Where there is judgement there is death. Where there is love there is life. Infinite love is where we are born and where we return to. Why not rest my consciousness in that? There is no force more accepting, more accommodating, more receptive, more forgiving, more healing and it sits in the heart of who we are at our very core.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Friday, January 3, 2014
It's the ONLY Thing Worth Doing
"I believe that we are here for each other, not against each other. Everything comes from understanding that you are a gift in my life - whoever you are, whatever our differences."
(John Denver)It's the ONLY thing worth doing. Radically simple. Radically effective. Practicing compassion or in other words living by the golden rule does more than heal others it heals our own heart when we practice it. As the well known author on religious thought, Karen Armstrong states after decades of research and study it seems to be the only thing that brings everlasting happiness. One reason why this concept fascinates me is because it isn't always the easiest thing to do from time to time. I guess that is why it is worth doing and yet makes our life more fulfilling. I can only speak for myself in that there are definitely moments where I default and pass judgement not consciously putting myself in another's shoes. These lapses never feel good and weigh me down giving good reason to focus on practicing compassion. Somehow, when focused on it things tend to challenge me to arise to it on a more radical level. Not always easy but always rewarding.
One thing I've realized is that it is truly a practice. One that brings conscious effort in the beginning just like anything and one I have failed on many occasions. So much seems to stem from simply being conscious. When we ride on selfish behavior it usually originates from the mind not the heart. I write about this not because I am there, but because I'd like to better live in the heart of compassion in my day to day life. Like Karen Armstrong states, it is the only thing worth doing. I guess personally I would add yoga practice to that or any practice that brings us inward, consciously watching and observing the patterns of the mind acting as a gateway to our center, into our hearts. Unblocking ourselves daily is an important part of the process I can attest to. Writing has also helped in this regard to cleanse what inhibits my heart and weighs on my shoulders, especially if I am filled with thoughts and worry. It's a daily effort. An effort worth making.
Another thing I have come to realize is right and wrong doesn't seem to matter so much anymore. We will always have our differences with one another. There will always be various points of view but at the end of the day honestly looking to one another in truth that we are connected holds more value. I truly believe every human being deserves dignity and respect and above all compassion. We all have experienced grief and sadness as well as joy and triumph, this we share and can honor in one another. One person's triumph and success is our own! We never have to think as if we are less because of it. At the same time when those around us suffer we can share in it too and find understanding that sometimes in life there is a hard battle to be had. We are never above or below it. Extending a hand of understanding is sometimes all someone needs in the most challenging of moments and life experiences. It becomes tiring to find fault with others when instead I can find the thread that connects us all.
It is not only a new year but a new age. If we don't stand together we will fall.
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