The Buddha talks within the Eightfold Noble Pathway of the necessity of Right Action. This includes respecting the people with whom we have contact. It means not meeting anger with anger; disrespect with violence; aggression with aggression.
The notion of right action with respect to human interactions is included in many (perhaps almost all) spiritual traditions. It is not an easy thing to do. We want to be respected and get annoyed, angry and upset when we are not. It is hard to look at aggression and not want to fight back. In fact, it is difficult to be compassionate when we feel attacked or disrespected. This does not mean failing to protect ourselves. It does mean not lashing out when we don't get the service we want; when we are cut off in traffic; when the delivery didn't arrive. It means disengaging as possible and safe - not staying in an abusive relationship, for example.
The old saying, "Do unto others as we would have done unto us" is an apt way to think about this. We all appreciate kindness but can we seek it if we are not offering it? Ego wants us to have it but we cannot demand it, only offer it.
By being kind, whether to another or ourself, we can find peace. Meditating on kindness is an interesting focus as it is here, that we can really connect kindness and compassion. Feel kindness and know what it means to feel it and thus, what that means when we offer it.
The notion of right action with respect to human interactions is included in many (perhaps almost all) spiritual traditions. It is not an easy thing to do. We want to be respected and get annoyed, angry and upset when we are not. It is hard to look at aggression and not want to fight back. In fact, it is difficult to be compassionate when we feel attacked or disrespected. This does not mean failing to protect ourselves. It does mean not lashing out when we don't get the service we want; when we are cut off in traffic; when the delivery didn't arrive. It means disengaging as possible and safe - not staying in an abusive relationship, for example.
The old saying, "Do unto others as we would have done unto us" is an apt way to think about this. We all appreciate kindness but can we seek it if we are not offering it? Ego wants us to have it but we cannot demand it, only offer it.
By being kind, whether to another or ourself, we can find peace. Meditating on kindness is an interesting focus as it is here, that we can really connect kindness and compassion. Feel kindness and know what it means to feel it and thus, what that means when we offer it.
It was the sort of small restaurant
The tourist would never find
Tucked in a side road on the way to chennai
Our driver pulled in
It was a quick stop for coffee
We were served by a small man
He was small in every sense
He would go through life without being noticed
But his smile
His gracious style
His care at his job
He was big with me
He offered the change
It was small and I declined it
It wasn't grabbed but accepted as a gift
His acceptance was big
His thank you was big
As I left we shared a smile
Raised palms
I would never see this man
But he was as big as he was real
Kindness shared
© Peter
Choate, 2016
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