The Last few years have challenged us as a human race in many ways. We have seen politics and Covid cause divisions in family, friends and the country. We have a choice to continue living in lower frequency emotions like fear, resentment and anger or choose higher frequencies like love, compassion or forgiveness. We can choose to build bridges or blow them up and tear them down.
This was never so clear to me as when my mother transitioned last year. In following the advice I so often offer, I sought within to discern the special gift my mother brought to me in this lifetime. I was struggling to embody my spiritual teachers request to think from your heart and feel from your mind. In pondering my mother, it became clear, she thought from her heart and loved from her mind. Our greatest teacher is most often right in front of us.
On a weekend home from college, a friend of moms was visiting whom she had not seen in a long time. The friend was fast asleep on the couch for quite some time while mom was preparing dinner. My eyes were full of judgement for there had been many instances where I felt she was taken advantage of for her kindness. Mom had just finished a legal battle with a business partner and suffered at the loss of a friendship. I glanced at my mom whom was smiling in pure joy as she shared how special that a friend feels comfortable enough to relax and be themselves. Judgement and previous patterns were clouding my vision.
This reminds me of an ancient parable where 4 blind men who have never experienced an elephant are touching one part of it and and sharing their experience. Each describes something so totally different they begin to fight and argue for they knew their explanation is the truth. We often see a small piece of a bigger picture and convince ourselves that our perception is the truth no matter what.
Free will is available to every sentient being on the planet along with the ability to choose how we respond or react in each situation. We often become stuck in old patterns that no longer serve us. Choose to be conscious of wether you are seeing the hard tusk or the entire elephant. Consciousness and awareness are tools that allow us to move past judgment and experience an entirely new world. From the heart space, I ask more questions, listen without judgement and have the patience to understand at a deeper level. Even if I disagree with the other person, we can agree to disagree and still hold respect and love in our communication and relationship. Choose love not fear and see how your views of the world change. Think from your heart and love from your mind.
From our heart to yours, we at the Bodhi Clinic wish everyone an abundance of love and light.