Monday, August 14, 2017

How Do You Wake Up To Your Goodness

Who would you be if you trusted the basic goodness that lives in you and in others?

“This being human is a guest house. Every morning is a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor...Welcome and entertain them all. Treat each guest honorably. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond."                                                                      
                                                                                                     
― Jalaluddin Rumi

Treat each guest honorably. Most of the time we think of the dark parts of us as unwanted, as undesirable, as wrong. But there is nothing wrong in the universe.

The dark parts of ourselves are not something to overcome. They are not something to strive against. They provide balance, and balance is wholeness.

Close your eyes and think about a time when you are aware that you exhibited some dark thought, some malice, some less than pure motive. Invite in these thoughts with love. Accept that part of you as a welcome guest. Take that angry thought, and in your mind surround it with a bubble of light. Realize that even that dark thought is holy. Through every thought and feeling there is insight.

Now think about an unpleasant experience with another person. They say something to you that is hurtful. Or they are simply unfeeling or uncaring. This part of them is also not something to overcome or strive against. If you can meet your own thoughts with love, you can meet the thoughts of others the same way. Welcome in their hurtful words or actions. Take them in and surround them in a bubble of light as well. Realize that even their  hurtful words or actions are holy. You are a being of light. So are they.

When I talk about hurtful words or actions being holy, I do not mean holy in any religious sense. My intention is to convey that those actions are meaningful and provide insight. That is what all communication provides. All communication is neutral. It is we who superimpose upon it some kind of value judgment. It is because we hear all communication through the mirror of our own psyche. Whatever we hear that we find to be negative is interpreted that way by us.

What if the next time you hear something hurtful or negative you receive it as a welcome guest?

"Good morning Cheryl. Isn't it a beautiful day?"

"No it isn't Steven. You left your socks in the floor again. You are always making more work for me, and you never listen to what I say."

"Thank you Cheryl, for sharing that with me."

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

"I'm listening to your concerns."

"I want you to pick up your socks."

"I think I can do that. Thanks for your insight."


Now, it may or may not be true that you never listen to what Cheryl says. That's not the issue. You are receiving her comments as a welcome guest. You aren't acknowledging that what she said is true or not. You are simply listening and responding to her without blaming, contradicting or making her wrong. And now the incident is over and you go on your way with love and light.

But what do we usually do? Respond from our ego. The ego says, you are wrong and I must show you where you are wrong and I must protect my self-image and defend against your attack. The ego is not interested in love or insight.

"Defense is the first act of war." --Byron Katie

Watch Tara Brach's video "Trusting Yourselves, Trusting Life."


No matter how negatively a person speaks or acts toward you, it is not your job to correct them. Their thoughts and actions are their business and your thoughts and actions are yours. If you get caught up in the negativity of their actions or statements, you cannot remain clear and authentic. You simply get caught up in the story they are believing about themselves, and there's no truth in that for you.

So our original question stands. Who would you be if you trusted the basic goodness that lives in you and others? Perhaps you would experience more peace and less fear. Perhaps you would not always be expecting others to act a certain way. Perhaps you wouldn't even care anymore how others act because you're not judging their actions. You would stay in your business and out of theirs.

“What hurts you, blesses you. Darkness is your candle.” 
― Jalaluddin Rumi


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Copyright  Judie C. McMath and The Center for Unhindered Living

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