It's not as hard as you might think. The path is about kindness and caring, abut seeing the best in yourself and in others. It's about recognizing and remembering that the good part in everyone - the best part in everyone - is their true self. The damaged and deformed parts, the ugly and contentious parts, these are not truly who they are. Rather, they are a manifestation of their confusion and their pain.
Keeping to the path means trying to see the best in all you behold, because you remember that all you behold is God. The shining jewel of their soul - everyone's soul - is that essence of God within them. It's always there beneath the caked-on mud and grime you see on the surface.
The Path is about finding out who you are, and loving yourself thoroughly and patiently, despite your flaws. The Path is about treating others with the respect and compassion you would like, whether they (seem to) deserve it, or not. When you treat a person well, they will often rise to the occasion in their choice of behavior. Expect the best, and you will often get it. This is true with people, and this is true of situations.
Keep your hands, and your heart, and your tongue, gentle. Accept others as they are. Don't try to change them. If you do want them to change or improve in some way, seeing and responding to the best in them can achieve this, and in a more pleasant and positive manner than criticism or nagging.
The Path is about love and respect, self-knowledge and truth. So, lying and dissembling are out.
Don't try or expect to be perfect, just do the best you can, and call it good. You don't have to force anything, for the changes you desire will come naturally as you progress.
Start listening to the quiet voice within you that may offer you suggestions, ideas, or hunches. Or even inclinations or sparks of interest to follow. Even if you haven't heard it yer, or felt it yet, it's there, and you can. Your openness to the possibility and willingness to try count for a lot. If and when you do hear or feel something, or find a thought in your head that you didn't think, give it the benefit of the doubt. You biggest obstacle in this is doubt, doubt of yourself and doubt of the process. You don't have to believe 100% or anywhere near that, to give it an open-minded trial to let it demonstrate whether it is just your imagination, or something more.
The Path is a great place to walk, to run, to fly, to share. It's never boring and the rewards are manifold. You will find benefits in every aspect of your life.
We invite you to join us here, and as always, we offer you our love and blessings.
Namaste.
Thanks, as always, just what I needed to hear!
ReplyDeleteLove your mindset about the good part of a person is their true self and the not so good isn't the real them, makes alot of sense as pain will certainly distort how and what a person does. In the past I have acted in a less than desirable way because of emotional stress and that's not the true me.
ReplyDeleteI try my best to be tolerant of others as life rolls along and I'm looking forward to making new friends on the path. Blessings!!
I'm glad they said it isn't hard! LOL
ReplyDeleteHi Orea, did you read A Course in Miracles?
ReplyDeleteI do listen to the quiet inner voice that directs my path, and heed inclinations, and follow sparks of interest.
“Every one of us is shadowed by an illusory person: a false self.
This is the man I want myself to be but cannot exist, because God does not know anything about him. And to be unknown of God is altogether too much privacy.
My false and private self is the one who wants to exist outside the reach of God's will and God's love - outside of reality and outside of life. And such a self cannot help but be an illusion.” ~ Thomas Merton
Yes indeed, the Path is a wonderful place to walk, to run, to fly, and to share. Yes indeed!
Leading by example, follow your intuition...see the best in others. Very insightful post...filled with the many lessons we all are learning on those beautiful pathways. The photo's illustrate your words...step by step...very uplifting and nurturing at the same time. I am following....
ReplyDeleteDebra, I read "A Course in Miracles" over 20 years ago. I think my favorite concept, out of many, is that there is no order of difficulty in miracles. I'm still trying to apply that.
ReplyDeleteRavenmyth, welcome! I'm glad you saw what I was trying to put in there with the photos. I never know if it's getting through unless someone tells me. Thank you.
It's wonderful to be sharing this path of discovery and delight with all of you. :-)