Recently, I walked a labyrinth. It was only the second time I have done this. I didn't know what to expect. I was experiencing loss, a good kind of loss, a moving on kind of loss. I was leaving part time employment at a physician's office. I had, at one time, worked there full time. I saw many wonderful people (patients), bonded together with amazing colleagues, and had learned much from those experiences. It was time to move on. I KNEW it. I had RESISTED it. It was like the universe had been telling me to move on for a few years. For various reasons, my work load had dwindled and I shifted to other locations - one day a week, 2 to 3 days a week until finally I was only one day a week at this office. It wasn't making sense for me to stay, I had plenty of work elsewhere. Yet, I lingered.....one day every other week.......a half day every other week.......
My private practice was growing and I needed to let go and move on......
So, I did, and from the moment I handed in my resignation letter, I felt a tremendous sense of freedom. I KNEW it was the right thing to do and I was FINALLY going to move on.
My final day. With a sense of sadness and excitement, I anticipated my final day...and it arrived.
I awoke that morning, feeling the sense of loss and a kind of dread. I didn't want to go and say goodbye to that place, that period in my life, my patients and colleagues. I had a plan: have a quiet lunch to myself and go and walk the labyrinth before work.
I'm a planner, I like having a "plan". I also like to "celebrate" events, to fully experience the moments and to do something to commemorate the experience.
My quiet lunch was wonderful. Time to myself, a friendly food server, good food.
My drive to the labyrinth felt purposeful. I parked my car in the rear of the parking lot and glanced over at the hillside and the trails, where the labyrinth was. I said a quiet prayer in my car and celebrated this moment. I got out of my car and experienced the beauty of the day. It was sunny and warm, not hot. I listened to the birds, the traffic from the highway, the sounds of life all around me. I stood for a few moments at the gazebo which led to the trail. I knew this was a perfect moment and I wanted to hold on to it for as long as I could. I slowly walked up the path to the labyrinth, listening to the sounds of life, smelling the earth, appreciating the sunshine on my skin and the gentle breeze, appreciating the earth beneath my feet which was supporting and sustaining me.
I sat at the small bench by the labyrinth and took off my shoes and socks. I wanted to do this right, it felt right to walk in my bare feet, nothing to separate me from the earth and the experiences it offered me.
I stood in front of the entrance and said a prayer, a meditation, focusing on a question and connecting to the earth. The moment had arrived. It was time to walk......
Time seemed to collapse at this point. I just walked.....and listened to my heart.....and paused and walked again and let my spirit lead me. The interesting thing about a labyrinth is that, unlike a maze, it is one solid line. No decisions to make about direction to go. You just follow your path. A labyrinth is a metaphor for life.....keep walking and follow your path.....and while you follow your path, listen to your SELF and you will know when to pause, when to move forward, when to walk briskly, when to slow down.
I walked slowly, savoring the experience (I don't want to rush through my life), I appreciated the beautiful round rocks that lined the labyrinth, I noticed the dirt and rubble tickling my feet. I felt compelled at times to step off the path and stand on some of the round, solid rocks and to have that experience of being held and supported by something so beautiful and strong. And, the turns in the path.....I did each one differently. Some I walked through slowly, appreciating the change of direction with excitement. At others, I felt compelled to stop before I moved into the turn. This is where the intuitive message came to me "Pause and breathe, let go, then move on". Very simple, yet profound. From that point on, I paused and let go, before I moved on through each turn. It became meditative and then at a very deep level, I realized I do not always let go in life before I move on. As I deliberately followed my internal guide and paused to let go before each turn, I realized my delay in making changes in life is because I do not stay in the moment of loss and letting go. I often hang on and hang on and hang on.....avoiding the upcoming turn and when I do arrive at it, I zoom through it, elated with the experience of change but avoiding the bulk of the loss that accompanies it. I felt a sense of sadness for myself.
With excitement, I reached the center. I paused and appreciated the message of the labyrinth. I smiled a lot. Then I slowly walked the path out to the opening again, appreciating the lessons I learned about the twists and turns and life's changes and the strength and beauty of the rocks and the path and the nature all around me, embracing me.
Now, each time on my path of life, when I find myself resisting change, I pause and breathe and let go. The letting go part gives me much strength. I have come to realize that the letting go ALLOWS me to move forward with strength and grace. We have to keep moving forward in life and holding each experience that the path of life brings us before we move through the twists and turns.
If you have never walked a labyrinth, do so. Follow your path, follow your path, follow your path and learn about yourself.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
A Holy Encounter
Holy Encounters happen every day. They are not something mysterious, but are actually fairly common. The trick is to recognize them. With recognition, they are learning opportunities.
Holy encounters happen when we encounter another person - plain and simple. There is so much opportunity for healing and growth when and if we see the encounter as a mirror:
...As you see him, you will see yourself. As you treat him, you will treat yourself. As you think of him, you will think of yourself. Never forget this, for in him you will find yourself or lose yourself. (A Course in Miracles)
Some holy encounters are fun. They are my favorite kind - meeting a stranger and enjoying a laugh together, random pleasant conversations, direct, caring eye contact with another person. These encounters feel very good. We feel like we "connect" with someone and know and understand them. We are seeing in them the good and positive characteristics we also attribute to ourselves. We say we are "like minded".
Some holy encounters are mundane. We say hello to the kid at the gas station who rings us up, we chat with a coworker, order our lunch and leave a tip for our food server, call a business contact on the phone, have dinner conversation with family, all of the myriad of encounters we have each day. These have great potential to be healing, holy encounters if we go beyond the mundane aspects of the encounters and look at the other person as one with us. They are our mirrors. They challenge us to look at how we interact with others, even on that mundane, daily basis and notice what we see in that person and what that says about us. They are our mirror. How we treat them says much about how we think about ourselves.
Some holy encounters are difficult. These are the opportunities for the greatest healing and growth. Typically, when we are being criticized, treated unfairly, or misjudged we want to react with defensiveness and criticism of the other. But, if these encounters are also holy, and there is healing in it for us, we need to look at "where do I see myself in this?". I have a friend, Maureen, who always asks herself in these difficult encounters "How am I like that?". Doesn't this open a whole new can of worms??? It's not really about the other person, it's about me and my ability to see opportunities to grow and change in this situation.
Recently I had a particularly challenging situation which was frustrating in one respect, yet interesting and amazing in another respect. The owner of the building where I rent office space went on a tirade against me because I was putting my garbage in the "wrong place", unbeknownst to me, for the past year. So, he was harboring resentments instead of just talking to me and clarifying the situation. The tirade became really ugly when he drove to my neighborhood and strew a bag of garbage on my neighbor's front porch, thinking it was my porch (goes to show that a GPS is not always accurate).
Once I went through my human, ego reaction of being bewildered, distressed and outright indignant, I allowed myself to see this as a holy encounter......hmmm......I had that instant of recognition, that this event was an opportunity to look at myself. As a therapist, I look at the symbolism - do I have psychic "garbage" that I am displacing? Do I avoid and harbor resentments? Do I misjudge and misperceive? I guess I can yes to all of that, although not to any great extent. I'm pretty self aware and I try to learn from each experience and move on.
At a deeper level, I challenged myself to begin to look at, not how my brother misjudged me, but how do I misjudge my brother? Misjudgement stems from misperception. So again,everything goes back to our thoughts. What are we thinking about other people? What are we thinking about ourselves?
This "holy encounter" points me back to the direction of taking responsibility for myself, for my thoughts, to be more vigilent about what I am thinking about my brother, to stop the negative thoughts and judgements and to think with compassion and remember "we are one". This holy encounter reminds me that in this situation, I can either find myself (see the projection) or lose myself (miss the opportunity to see the projection and grow and change for the better)
Sometimes, on a daily, mundane basis, we need to deal with life and life's circumstances. We can always do this with compassion, if we choose. We clarify, apologize, problem solve. On a deeper level, we can also deal with life and life's circumstances in a spiritual way - see the other as our brother and a mirror of ourselves. If we stop projecting and seeing all the bad stuff as "out there, in the world" and shift our focus to changing the "bad" and negative thoughts we have, we will all change. All we can change is ourselves, we can't change others.
When you meet anyone, remember, it is a holy encounter.
God bless.
Holy encounters happen when we encounter another person - plain and simple. There is so much opportunity for healing and growth when and if we see the encounter as a mirror:
...As you see him, you will see yourself. As you treat him, you will treat yourself. As you think of him, you will think of yourself. Never forget this, for in him you will find yourself or lose yourself. (A Course in Miracles)
Some holy encounters are fun. They are my favorite kind - meeting a stranger and enjoying a laugh together, random pleasant conversations, direct, caring eye contact with another person. These encounters feel very good. We feel like we "connect" with someone and know and understand them. We are seeing in them the good and positive characteristics we also attribute to ourselves. We say we are "like minded".
Some holy encounters are mundane. We say hello to the kid at the gas station who rings us up, we chat with a coworker, order our lunch and leave a tip for our food server, call a business contact on the phone, have dinner conversation with family, all of the myriad of encounters we have each day. These have great potential to be healing, holy encounters if we go beyond the mundane aspects of the encounters and look at the other person as one with us. They are our mirrors. They challenge us to look at how we interact with others, even on that mundane, daily basis and notice what we see in that person and what that says about us. They are our mirror. How we treat them says much about how we think about ourselves.
Some holy encounters are difficult. These are the opportunities for the greatest healing and growth. Typically, when we are being criticized, treated unfairly, or misjudged we want to react with defensiveness and criticism of the other. But, if these encounters are also holy, and there is healing in it for us, we need to look at "where do I see myself in this?". I have a friend, Maureen, who always asks herself in these difficult encounters "How am I like that?". Doesn't this open a whole new can of worms??? It's not really about the other person, it's about me and my ability to see opportunities to grow and change in this situation.
Recently I had a particularly challenging situation which was frustrating in one respect, yet interesting and amazing in another respect. The owner of the building where I rent office space went on a tirade against me because I was putting my garbage in the "wrong place", unbeknownst to me, for the past year. So, he was harboring resentments instead of just talking to me and clarifying the situation. The tirade became really ugly when he drove to my neighborhood and strew a bag of garbage on my neighbor's front porch, thinking it was my porch (goes to show that a GPS is not always accurate).
Once I went through my human, ego reaction of being bewildered, distressed and outright indignant, I allowed myself to see this as a holy encounter......hmmm......I had that instant of recognition, that this event was an opportunity to look at myself. As a therapist, I look at the symbolism - do I have psychic "garbage" that I am displacing? Do I avoid and harbor resentments? Do I misjudge and misperceive? I guess I can yes to all of that, although not to any great extent. I'm pretty self aware and I try to learn from each experience and move on.
At a deeper level, I challenged myself to begin to look at, not how my brother misjudged me, but how do I misjudge my brother? Misjudgement stems from misperception. So again,everything goes back to our thoughts. What are we thinking about other people? What are we thinking about ourselves?
This "holy encounter" points me back to the direction of taking responsibility for myself, for my thoughts, to be more vigilent about what I am thinking about my brother, to stop the negative thoughts and judgements and to think with compassion and remember "we are one". This holy encounter reminds me that in this situation, I can either find myself (see the projection) or lose myself (miss the opportunity to see the projection and grow and change for the better)
Sometimes, on a daily, mundane basis, we need to deal with life and life's circumstances. We can always do this with compassion, if we choose. We clarify, apologize, problem solve. On a deeper level, we can also deal with life and life's circumstances in a spiritual way - see the other as our brother and a mirror of ourselves. If we stop projecting and seeing all the bad stuff as "out there, in the world" and shift our focus to changing the "bad" and negative thoughts we have, we will all change. All we can change is ourselves, we can't change others.
When you meet anyone, remember, it is a holy encounter.
God bless.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
The Light of the World
I may never be a millionaire, funny I don't think I care
I may never see the mountain view, guess I don't need to
May never drive a fancy car or be a movie star
But I'll be, I'll be......the Light of the World
.....FFH
How different would we all be if we realized we are the Light of the World?
How differently would we think, and feel, and act, and problem solve and treat others, and approach each day?
The Light of the World isn't way up there somewhere in heaven, embodied by some ONE or some THING else. The light of the World is US. We are the same "stuff" as God, the same spirit and energy.
We dis-empower ourselves by believing that God is "up there" somewhere - some place else, separate from us.
Let's think different thoughts. If we believe we are the Light of the World, let's not place limits on who we can be.
Let's feel different emotions. If we believe we are the Light of the World, let's not feel so hopeless and helpless and angry and cynical.
Let's act differently. If we believe we are the Light of the World, let's practice patience, tolerance, compassion, understanding.
This morning I ran a 5K race and I was actually thinking about this as I ran. I felt lighter and stronger. I encouraged other runners as they zoomed past me and as I passed others. I slowed down for a moment to encourage a young boy of about 7 or 8 as I passed him on a hill. He smiled at me and I later saw that he won his age division. How cool is that?
A patient was telling me how she paused in the midst of her busy day, when she didn't really "have the time" to comfort a distraught colleague. The "moment" ended up being a hour but "miraculously", all of her work got completed in time, with time to spare. How amazing is that?
A friend was telling me how differently she felt about a situation as she consciously practiced forgiveness. The bonds to another person that she felt entangled to disappeared and she stopped thinking about and obsessing about and feeling connected to the situation. How miraculous is that?
How does the Light of the World think? Let's THINK about that every day.
How does the Light of the World feel? Let's ALIGN ourselves with that each day.
How does the Light of the World act? Let's STRIVE for that and ACT it out daily, in each moment.
In each moment of each day we have a choice.
We can recognize the light within us. We can BE the LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
We can change ourselves and simple moments and circumstances.
Or we can believe that we are separate from the light and stumble around in darkness, looking for someone or some thing to "enlighten" us.
...I may never be a millionaire, funny I don't think I care
may never see the mountain view, guess I don't need to
May never drive a fancy car or be a movie star
but I'll BE, I'll BE....THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
Amen
I may never see the mountain view, guess I don't need to
May never drive a fancy car or be a movie star
But I'll be, I'll be......the Light of the World
.....FFH
How different would we all be if we realized we are the Light of the World?
How differently would we think, and feel, and act, and problem solve and treat others, and approach each day?
The Light of the World isn't way up there somewhere in heaven, embodied by some ONE or some THING else. The light of the World is US. We are the same "stuff" as God, the same spirit and energy.
We dis-empower ourselves by believing that God is "up there" somewhere - some place else, separate from us.
Let's think different thoughts. If we believe we are the Light of the World, let's not place limits on who we can be.
Let's feel different emotions. If we believe we are the Light of the World, let's not feel so hopeless and helpless and angry and cynical.
Let's act differently. If we believe we are the Light of the World, let's practice patience, tolerance, compassion, understanding.
This morning I ran a 5K race and I was actually thinking about this as I ran. I felt lighter and stronger. I encouraged other runners as they zoomed past me and as I passed others. I slowed down for a moment to encourage a young boy of about 7 or 8 as I passed him on a hill. He smiled at me and I later saw that he won his age division. How cool is that?
A patient was telling me how she paused in the midst of her busy day, when she didn't really "have the time" to comfort a distraught colleague. The "moment" ended up being a hour but "miraculously", all of her work got completed in time, with time to spare. How amazing is that?
A friend was telling me how differently she felt about a situation as she consciously practiced forgiveness. The bonds to another person that she felt entangled to disappeared and she stopped thinking about and obsessing about and feeling connected to the situation. How miraculous is that?
How does the Light of the World think? Let's THINK about that every day.
How does the Light of the World feel? Let's ALIGN ourselves with that each day.
How does the Light of the World act? Let's STRIVE for that and ACT it out daily, in each moment.
In each moment of each day we have a choice.
We can recognize the light within us. We can BE the LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
We can change ourselves and simple moments and circumstances.
Or we can believe that we are separate from the light and stumble around in darkness, looking for someone or some thing to "enlighten" us.
...I may never be a millionaire, funny I don't think I care
may never see the mountain view, guess I don't need to
May never drive a fancy car or be a movie star
but I'll BE, I'll BE....THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
Amen
Sunday, September 4, 2011
So I was just thinking........
I was watching a commercial today and the ad stated that it is estimated we have 3,000 thoughts each day. I don't know how true this is (and I should probably check it out sometime) but anyway, I thought "We have 3,000 opportunities every day to CHANGE OUR THOUGHTS!!!" (if we choose to). THREE THOUSAND TIMES EACH DAY, we have opportunities to change. Wow. Makes me realize how empowered we are. Most of us don't think that way. We don't realize that each thought is negotiable. No thought we have is a given - we don't have to keep thinking it IF WE DON'T WANT TO. How about that for empowerment?
I was also watching Joel Osteen and he was talking about opportunities and that things we often see as annoyances are opportunities for us to grow, if we recognize the opportunity. He used the example of impatience. If someone is impatient, he or she may find themselves often behind slow drivers. They can moan and complain and hurl expletives at the slow driver, or see the situation as an opportunity to work on becoming more patient. It's a choice and it's empowering to recognize that choice.
Now as I am reflecting on the past 24 hours, I am wondering how many of those 3000 automatic thoughts I decided to change in some way to create more internal peace and extend out into the world? If we monitored every thought, that would be a full time job and we wouldn't be able to focus on our lives. But, if we recognized each time we feel uncomfortable, irritated, sad, anxious or afraid, then we could also recognize that we can look at the thought that goes with that uncomfortable feeling and change the thought.
Sometimes I am surprised with some of my automatic thoughts, especially when they are critical of others or myself. I'm usually pretty good at catching myself after the thought and changing it. For example, I may look at someone and think they are arrogant or rude or ugly but then I remind myself that I don't like that thought and can change it. I just say to myself "It's just a thought and I will change it" and then move on to a thought that is more compassionate of myself and others. I don't blame myself that much anymore for HAVING the thought, because it's just a thought and I can change it. I'm in charge of what I choose to think.
Imagine this......what if we all realized that we have 3000 opportunities every day to change our thoughts and then DID, IN FACT, CHANGE the thoughts that we didn't like or want to keep....How amazing that would be....
Here's how I think our days would be soooo different.
All of those "negatives", the people and situations that make us crazy would now be seen as opportunities to grow and change. The slow driver teaches us patience, the political extremism teaches us tolerance, the mean boss teaches us to love and value ourselves more, the freak thunderstorm when we are out on our run or walk teaches us trust, the financial stresses teach us gratitude for what we have. They really all contain GIFTS, opportunities to CHANGE.
3,000 times each day we have active choices and opportunities that most of us don't realize.
3,000 times a day we can embrace the thoughts we want to keep and discard the others.
3,000 times each day we can stop blaming
3,000 times every day we can choose peace
3,000 times a day we can love ourselves and others
3,000 times a day we can practice gratitude
3,000 times each and every day we can choose internal peace
simply by changing our thoughts, one thought at a time....3,000 times a day....
3,000 times each day we are empowered.
I was also watching Joel Osteen and he was talking about opportunities and that things we often see as annoyances are opportunities for us to grow, if we recognize the opportunity. He used the example of impatience. If someone is impatient, he or she may find themselves often behind slow drivers. They can moan and complain and hurl expletives at the slow driver, or see the situation as an opportunity to work on becoming more patient. It's a choice and it's empowering to recognize that choice.
Now as I am reflecting on the past 24 hours, I am wondering how many of those 3000 automatic thoughts I decided to change in some way to create more internal peace and extend out into the world? If we monitored every thought, that would be a full time job and we wouldn't be able to focus on our lives. But, if we recognized each time we feel uncomfortable, irritated, sad, anxious or afraid, then we could also recognize that we can look at the thought that goes with that uncomfortable feeling and change the thought.
Sometimes I am surprised with some of my automatic thoughts, especially when they are critical of others or myself. I'm usually pretty good at catching myself after the thought and changing it. For example, I may look at someone and think they are arrogant or rude or ugly but then I remind myself that I don't like that thought and can change it. I just say to myself "It's just a thought and I will change it" and then move on to a thought that is more compassionate of myself and others. I don't blame myself that much anymore for HAVING the thought, because it's just a thought and I can change it. I'm in charge of what I choose to think.
Imagine this......what if we all realized that we have 3000 opportunities every day to change our thoughts and then DID, IN FACT, CHANGE the thoughts that we didn't like or want to keep....How amazing that would be....
Here's how I think our days would be soooo different.
All of those "negatives", the people and situations that make us crazy would now be seen as opportunities to grow and change. The slow driver teaches us patience, the political extremism teaches us tolerance, the mean boss teaches us to love and value ourselves more, the freak thunderstorm when we are out on our run or walk teaches us trust, the financial stresses teach us gratitude for what we have. They really all contain GIFTS, opportunities to CHANGE.
3,000 times each day we have active choices and opportunities that most of us don't realize.
3,000 times a day we can embrace the thoughts we want to keep and discard the others.
3,000 times each day we can stop blaming
3,000 times every day we can choose peace
3,000 times a day we can love ourselves and others
3,000 times a day we can practice gratitude
3,000 times each and every day we can choose internal peace
simply by changing our thoughts, one thought at a time....3,000 times a day....
3,000 times each day we are empowered.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Love is the answer
8/4/09 - two years ago today 3 women were shot and killed in a horrific shooting in Bridgeville, PA. Two years later, those who survived the shootings continue on. Hopefully all continue to heal - the victims (living and deceased), their families and our community.
The life of my family was changed forever in some ways but we have brought much good out of the terror.....Love is the answer....
Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer.
Shine on us all
set us free
Love is the answer
Who knows why
Someday we all must die
We're all homeless boys and girls
and we are never heard
It's such a lonely world
People turn their heads
and walk on by
Tell me is it worth just another try?
Ask the man inside for the answers
and when you feel afraid...
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
and when you've lost your way
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
and when you're all alone
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
and when you're far from home
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
and when you're down and out
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
and when your hope runs out
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
and when you need a friend
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
WE'VE GOT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER
England Dan & John Ford Coley
The life of my family was changed forever in some ways but we have brought much good out of the terror.....Love is the answer....
Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer.
Shine on us all
set us free
Love is the answer
Who knows why
Someday we all must die
We're all homeless boys and girls
and we are never heard
It's such a lonely world
People turn their heads
and walk on by
Tell me is it worth just another try?
Ask the man inside for the answers
and when you feel afraid...
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
and when you've lost your way
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
and when you're all alone
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
and when you're far from home
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
and when you're down and out
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
and when your hope runs out
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
and when you need a friend
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
WE'VE GOT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER
England Dan & John Ford Coley
Friday, July 22, 2011
WWJD - part 2
So, since my previous posting, I've been focused a lot more on wondering "What would Jesus THINK?", as I go through my days and experiences, recognizing that what Jesus would DO proceeds directly from what he would THINK.
It's been a case of "Be careful what you ask for because you just may get it". I have been uncharacteristically critical, judgmental, and impatient with people and it disturbs me. I have encountered some very annoying and thoughtless people and I keep asking myself "what the heck is going on?" and then I realized......I have a lot more work to do with my thoughts, with acceptance, and with thinking with the mind of Christ. I have focused intently on thinking more like Jesus and the universe has been giving me ample opportunities to practice this. Recently, a friend stated that if you want to learn compassion and forgiveness, do one of two things: drive your car, or go to Walmart. We chuckled but then I realized that this world is my classroom and the only way to learn how to be more like Christ is by living in the everyday world, encountering every day people, and everyday annoyances and frustrations. It's easy to think like Jesus when all is quiet and happy and serene in my world, but anybody can do that.
My conscious intention, to think more like Jesus, has created numerous opportunities for me to learn to love people better, as I draw to myself the work, the challenges, of dealing with unreasonable and rude people. It's like God has said "ok...here we go....how are you going to run with this...."
When I figured that out, that what you ask for, you receive, then the exercise became easier for me. It's like God has placed in my path the people and situations that will best optimize my learning. hmmmm....
Here's what I have learned about thinking like Jesus.
It's all about compassion....
simple,real simple.
Not so easy to do.
I can think like ME or I can think like Jesus.
Jesus always looks through the lens of compassion.
I can think like ME or I can think like Jesus....
Jesus sees way beyond our physical presence, our body we present to the world. He looks way beyond our behaviors. He sees the hurts and pain. He sees far beyond all of this. Because when he looks through the lens of compassion, he sees our essence, our pure selves.
I can think like ME about rude people, or I can think like Jesus,
I can think like ME about cruelty, or I can think like Jesus.
I can think like ME about all the negativity I see, or I can think like Jesus.
It really is that simple.......but not so easy.
It is a CHOICE.
Do I want to keep seeing through my own lens and criticize, blame and judge, or do I want to see through the lens of compassion? If I want to do what Jesus would do, I have to think like Jesus would think and I have to see EVERYTHING through a lens of compassion.
I can see with MY eyes or I can see with GOD'S eyes.
Which view do you think feels better and better serves the world?
It's been a case of "Be careful what you ask for because you just may get it". I have been uncharacteristically critical, judgmental, and impatient with people and it disturbs me. I have encountered some very annoying and thoughtless people and I keep asking myself "what the heck is going on?" and then I realized......I have a lot more work to do with my thoughts, with acceptance, and with thinking with the mind of Christ. I have focused intently on thinking more like Jesus and the universe has been giving me ample opportunities to practice this. Recently, a friend stated that if you want to learn compassion and forgiveness, do one of two things: drive your car, or go to Walmart. We chuckled but then I realized that this world is my classroom and the only way to learn how to be more like Christ is by living in the everyday world, encountering every day people, and everyday annoyances and frustrations. It's easy to think like Jesus when all is quiet and happy and serene in my world, but anybody can do that.
My conscious intention, to think more like Jesus, has created numerous opportunities for me to learn to love people better, as I draw to myself the work, the challenges, of dealing with unreasonable and rude people. It's like God has said "ok...here we go....how are you going to run with this...."
When I figured that out, that what you ask for, you receive, then the exercise became easier for me. It's like God has placed in my path the people and situations that will best optimize my learning. hmmmm....
Here's what I have learned about thinking like Jesus.
It's all about compassion....
simple,real simple.
Not so easy to do.
I can think like ME or I can think like Jesus.
Jesus always looks through the lens of compassion.
I can think like ME or I can think like Jesus....
Jesus sees way beyond our physical presence, our body we present to the world. He looks way beyond our behaviors. He sees the hurts and pain. He sees far beyond all of this. Because when he looks through the lens of compassion, he sees our essence, our pure selves.
I can think like ME about rude people, or I can think like Jesus,
I can think like ME about cruelty, or I can think like Jesus.
I can think like ME about all the negativity I see, or I can think like Jesus.
It really is that simple.......but not so easy.
It is a CHOICE.
Do I want to keep seeing through my own lens and criticize, blame and judge, or do I want to see through the lens of compassion? If I want to do what Jesus would do, I have to think like Jesus would think and I have to see EVERYTHING through a lens of compassion.
I can see with MY eyes or I can see with GOD'S eyes.
Which view do you think feels better and better serves the world?
Monday, May 23, 2011
WWJD - or "What Would Jesus Do?"
Several years ago I started seeing these bumper stickers all over - WWJD aka: What Would Jesus Do?
I believe the phrase originates in the Christian community and is an attempt to encourage people to live in a more Christ-like way. It's an interesting concept to apply to the world in 2011 and beyond. If Jesus was alive today and living in our world, what would he do? It was interesting and amusing and somewhat perplexing for me, however, to notice how the people who had these bumper stickers on their vehicles would drive......Sometimes they were the most discourteous and rude drivers!!!! Which leads me to surmise that they likely think about the question in a macro way. I recall a conversation I participated in over a year ago; people were admonishing themselves for not doing "enough" to serve God. They were thinking macro - mission trips, working in the soup kitchen, fostering children, running youth groups, etc and saying they just didn't have the time to serve God better. I encouraged them to think MICRO - what are the simple acts of love and kindness we can do every single day? I like to think about it on a more basic level - What would Jesus THINK? Because, of course, what he thought and what ran through his mind would determine what he would do, correct? So, if you want to think REALLY MICRO - look at your thoughts and do they likely match what Christ would think???
So, here's an amusing scenerio for us to think about. What if Jesus was living in 2011. Imagine he gets up in the morning to go to work (I wonder what kind of job he would work at - pastor? social worker? community activist?). Anyway, he walks out to his car and steps in the "business" the neighbor's dog kindly left for him. WHAT WOULD HE THINK ABOUT THAT? So, he cleans off his shoes which might put him a little behind on his commute. I wonder what sort of vehicle he would drive - probably some sort of hybrid? So, even though he is running late, he drives the speed limit, because he obeys the law and this infuriates EVERYONE behind him who have wonderful expletives and other unkind things to think and say. WHAT WOULD HE THINK ABOUT THAT?????? And when he gets to work, what would he think about the gossiping, the competitive environment, the overinflated egos??? Let's say he stops after work to pick up a few groceries, like everybody else seems to be doing after work, and he is standing in the EXPRESS line with his 4 items and someone way in front of him has 32 items - WHAT WOULD HE THINK ABOUT THAT???? He is rushing out the door to get home and sees someone approaching the entrance. He realizes he has to stand there for about 5 seconds to avoid the door slamming as she walks up to it. WHAT WOULD HE THINK ABOUT THAT CHOICE???? I think you get my drift.....
If we want to be more Christ-like it HAS TO start with our thoughts. We have to go so MICRO, we ask ourselves, "What would Jesus THINK?". At a quantum level, everything starts with our thoughts and heart based emotions. It starts with compassion and compassionate thoughts.
I like to think that Jesus would bless all the people on the road, at work, in the supermarket, in his neighborhood because he would have compassion for everyone in his heart. I like to think that he would not be so reactive to the inappropriate behaviors and model for all of us a better way. I like to think he would forgive others their trespasses and not hold grudges. I like to think when he encountered impatience and hostility, we would send love and prayers that people's days and lives would go better....That's how I THINK HE WOULD THINK. What about you?
I believe the phrase originates in the Christian community and is an attempt to encourage people to live in a more Christ-like way. It's an interesting concept to apply to the world in 2011 and beyond. If Jesus was alive today and living in our world, what would he do? It was interesting and amusing and somewhat perplexing for me, however, to notice how the people who had these bumper stickers on their vehicles would drive......Sometimes they were the most discourteous and rude drivers!!!! Which leads me to surmise that they likely think about the question in a macro way. I recall a conversation I participated in over a year ago; people were admonishing themselves for not doing "enough" to serve God. They were thinking macro - mission trips, working in the soup kitchen, fostering children, running youth groups, etc and saying they just didn't have the time to serve God better. I encouraged them to think MICRO - what are the simple acts of love and kindness we can do every single day? I like to think about it on a more basic level - What would Jesus THINK? Because, of course, what he thought and what ran through his mind would determine what he would do, correct? So, if you want to think REALLY MICRO - look at your thoughts and do they likely match what Christ would think???
So, here's an amusing scenerio for us to think about. What if Jesus was living in 2011. Imagine he gets up in the morning to go to work (I wonder what kind of job he would work at - pastor? social worker? community activist?). Anyway, he walks out to his car and steps in the "business" the neighbor's dog kindly left for him. WHAT WOULD HE THINK ABOUT THAT? So, he cleans off his shoes which might put him a little behind on his commute. I wonder what sort of vehicle he would drive - probably some sort of hybrid? So, even though he is running late, he drives the speed limit, because he obeys the law and this infuriates EVERYONE behind him who have wonderful expletives and other unkind things to think and say. WHAT WOULD HE THINK ABOUT THAT?????? And when he gets to work, what would he think about the gossiping, the competitive environment, the overinflated egos??? Let's say he stops after work to pick up a few groceries, like everybody else seems to be doing after work, and he is standing in the EXPRESS line with his 4 items and someone way in front of him has 32 items - WHAT WOULD HE THINK ABOUT THAT???? He is rushing out the door to get home and sees someone approaching the entrance. He realizes he has to stand there for about 5 seconds to avoid the door slamming as she walks up to it. WHAT WOULD HE THINK ABOUT THAT CHOICE???? I think you get my drift.....
If we want to be more Christ-like it HAS TO start with our thoughts. We have to go so MICRO, we ask ourselves, "What would Jesus THINK?". At a quantum level, everything starts with our thoughts and heart based emotions. It starts with compassion and compassionate thoughts.
I like to think that Jesus would bless all the people on the road, at work, in the supermarket, in his neighborhood because he would have compassion for everyone in his heart. I like to think that he would not be so reactive to the inappropriate behaviors and model for all of us a better way. I like to think he would forgive others their trespasses and not hold grudges. I like to think when he encountered impatience and hostility, we would send love and prayers that people's days and lives would go better....That's how I THINK HE WOULD THINK. What about you?
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