I find it curious why so many people look consistently outside themselves to ‘know’ themselves or to elicit change for themselves/in the world (looking outside themselves even for Love which is inherently ‘within’ each of us). If each person no matter their age, income or faith (including politicians and CEOs) were to look inward, observe and inquire…… how might things change? (And how might that look on the level of government and corporations? Perhaps it would dissolve the qualities of dishonesty and ‘power’ for profit.)
And if each person were to meet themselves in this self reflection/inquiry with loving-kindness, gentleness and compassion…….how would that utterly change the experience you have living in your own skin? (Not a warm and fuzzy concept alone…. but truly ‘living’ it)
Most things in our society begin with a person(s). An idea, perpetuation, action, reaction and so on. Whether it is fashion, social mores, viewpoints, language, emotions, stories or Love…….the common denominator is people. We each are ‘ripple points’ from which so much may emanate. And it is the same with this choice of looking inward and choosing a perception of loving kindness. When we choose to shift the accepted ‘norm’ of how we behave as humans, toward ourselves and others, we create a ripple point.
I know for me that when I engage these qualities within myself that I find it difficult to perpetuate unkind words, actions and thoughts. They simply dissolve as they no longer are fueled from a sense of ‘lacking’ within. When I find ‘peace’ within myself there is no need to judge by comparison or create a ‘greater than lesser than’ perspective (which underlies so much of our forms of criticism & judgement). And if I am not acting on this standard behavior I am creating a contradiction that ripples out and perhaps offers invitation or resonance for someone else to do the same.
(And I know it certainly ‘frees up’ so much of my energy since it is not tied up in chatter of beating myself or somebody else up…..or deciding where myself and others fall on the scale of ‘good/bad’, ‘right/wrong’, successful/unsuccessful’, ‘greater than/lesser than’ etc.)
This superficial barometer plays out in most avenues of our lives. It is woven into the very fabric of what we consider ‘normal’ existence. We compare ourselves (and others) to our neighbors, friends and media etc….. to decide where we fall on the scale of ‘success’. The scale of ‘greater than/lesser than’. We look to the outside to understand merit and value instead of from the inner sense of self. We tend to tune out our ‘intuition’ and override this with external source information that doesn’t always serve us. But what if we interrupted this process and let ourselves witness all of it from a place within us that is not ‘lacking’? A place that is not ‘small’ but infinite and loving…..a place that honestly knows nobody is ‘better’ than anyone else, just different.
We get to choose the behaviors we keep alive and pay forward to each generation that comes. In all my teaching and travels I have yet to meet someone who says they enjoy or find positive tools in this unique human quality of self deprecation, feeling bad about oneself, the system of judging that inevitably puts someone at the bottom so someone else can be toward the top, the lens of always looking outside yourself to know how to feel inside yourself…..etc.
How do you relate to any of this……?
Do you find any curiosity…….
Take a moment and see if you can touch this……2 minutes. Just sit and breathe and relax. Invite (slowly) the feeling or idea of there is nothing lacking within you and that nobody is actually ‘better than’ anyone else (yourself included). See if you can touch that calm truth for just a moment. Notice the ‘chatter’ and thoughts that come and what you touch upon. Just notice…..nothing else. Perhaps once a week (or once a day) revisit this little practice and see how it shifts…….and again simply notice what comes without judging it. No pressure….just curiosity.
Thanks for reading….
blessings
Jacqueline
Soundbodywisdom 