So I read a quote in a book the other day and it really hit me so I really just wanted to share it.
I find it helpful in terms of just allowing us to very quickly shift back into the truth of who we are and to quickly untangle ourselves from things that may be very convincing in our minds but are actually just obscurations,
Illusions that are just distracting us.
It could be just anything,
Any sort of reaction that's negative to something occurring in your experience.
So it could be a judgement about something that you said yesterday that has embarrassed you or that you feel embarrassed by.
It could be something that didn't go well that hasn't gone well and you're just feeling a bit blue about it.
Or maybe something where you're feeling lonely and then you're getting kind of caught up in stories about why you're alone and that something's wrong with you or could be anything.
You'll know for you what is taking your energy away.
But this quote from I believe the Dalai Lama is,
Whatever happens that might arouse negative energy in your mind,
Expand your perspective so that kindness and compassion is your response.
I'll say that again.
Whatever happens that might arouse negative energy in your mind,
Expand your perspective so that kindness and compassion is your response.
So I found this particularly powerful and I love just the wording around like expanding your perception because it just reminds us that often when we get caught up in negativity,
We are looking at things in a very narrow view,
Usually from the point of view of me versus other and so this is an invitation for us to remember that that view is not all there is.
That is one tiny fragment of the picture and because there is this hyper focus on this fragment,
You are experiencing this negativity,
This feeling of could be shame,
It could be anger,
It could be disappointment or hopelessness or sadness.
Whatever it is but this invitation is to remember that this isn't the ultimate truth.
The story that is feeding those feelings is reminding us also that kindness and compassion isn't something that we have to kind of obtain.
We don't have to go to the shop and buy some kindness and compassion.
We don't actually have to do anything to feel that necessarily.
I mean we can help ourselves to cultivate it of course but it's in there,
It's already in there.
We have the raw materials for feeling kindness and compassion or for being kind and compassionate to ourselves and to others and really it's down to that expanding our perception and just seeing what is actually here versus the narrow view.
So if it's yourself maybe in the situation that you're kind of feeling this negative energy around,
Dropping the story and inviting in kindness and care for yourself and remembering that none of us are perfect.
We're all navigating this complex and challenging world and we're not going to do everything right all the time and we have to have a friend in ourselves in order to to navigate effectively.
So if it is you judging you,
Can you drop the story,
Widen your perspective and give yourself some love,
A kind thought,
A soft touch,
You know stroking your arm or hand or whatever,
Putting a hand on your heart,
Just showing yourself that actually regardless of all the stuff,
You love yourself and you're here for yourself and I know that can be kind of hard if it's not a habit that you've already formed,
But just seeing if we can soften toward ourselves,
Just simply soften toward ourselves because we are all,
You know,
It's hard this life thing,
You know,
There's no surprise that in one of the four noble truths in Buddhism is the truth of suffering,
That suffering is a thing that all of us are experiencing,
So giving yourself kindness for that and equally if it's someone else,
Someone else that's maybe involved in or triggering this negative energy in you,
Again just releasing the story and just remembering that we are seeing things from our own perspective and yes our experiences and our emotions and our perspective is valid but it's not the whole picture,
So seeing again where you can just allow a sense of softening,
You don't have to necessarily say anything to that person or take any action but can you just simply soften the judgment for just a moment,
So I'll just repeat the quote again before I leave as this was meant to be short and sweet,
Whatever happens that might arouse negative energy in your mind,
Expand your perspective so that kindness and compassion is your response,
Whatever happens that might arouse negative energy in your mind,
Expand your perspective so that kindness and compassion is your response.
Thank you for listening,
Wishing you well.
