Days 45-46 of the Season For Nonviolence: "Mastery" & "Compassion:"
Greetings, family! Today's blog is for DAYS 45 & 46 of the Season For Nonviolence. For Sunday, March 15, the thought is MASTERY.
Labor organizer, Cesar Chavez taught "If you use violence you have to sell part of yourself for that violence. Then you are no longer a master of your own struggle." To practice nonviolence you must learn to master your anger. Breathe deeply, silently counting backwards from ten to calm yourself and cool off before you speak or act with impatience or anger.
"We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough."
-Helen Keller
This should not be surprising. After all, to attain excellence in anything we have to work at it. An Olympic swimming champion doesn't go for a workout once a week on Sunday afternoon, but practices for hours every day. The impetus to gain mastery over one's mind and senses does not come from some Olympian height, or from a distant deity; it doesn't come from any monastic rule, or even from one's spiritual teacher. It comes from deep within yourself. You have had a fleeting glimpse of the shining presence within, and in its bright remembered light, all your flaws and blemishes are thrown into sharp relief. You can't wait to start removing them.
Today: When I think of something or get into a situation where anger comes up, I will acknowledge the anger then breathe deeply, silently counting backwards from ten, and then decide what action to take. Mastery of nonviolence will come as I continue to practice.
For Monday, March 16, The thought for today is COMPASSION.
Mother Teresa implored us to “find someone who thinks he is alone and let him know that he is not.”
"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." -The 14th Dalai Lama
"A human being is part of the whole, called by us 'universe,' a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
-Albert Einstein
Compassion is about both relieving suffering and about celebration (which also relieves suffering by putting it in a context of gratitude). With compassion comes a greatness of heart. Compassion arises when we allow our heart to be touched by the pain and needs of others.
Today: I will engage compassion to lead my actions, my words and my life.
Peace, blessings & brilliance,
Janis
www.janis-kelly.com
Labor organizer, Cesar Chavez taught "If you use violence you have to sell part of yourself for that violence. Then you are no longer a master of your own struggle." To practice nonviolence you must learn to master your anger. Breathe deeply, silently counting backwards from ten to calm yourself and cool off before you speak or act with impatience or anger.
"We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough."
-Helen Keller
This should not be surprising. After all, to attain excellence in anything we have to work at it. An Olympic swimming champion doesn't go for a workout once a week on Sunday afternoon, but practices for hours every day. The impetus to gain mastery over one's mind and senses does not come from some Olympian height, or from a distant deity; it doesn't come from any monastic rule, or even from one's spiritual teacher. It comes from deep within yourself. You have had a fleeting glimpse of the shining presence within, and in its bright remembered light, all your flaws and blemishes are thrown into sharp relief. You can't wait to start removing them.
Today: When I think of something or get into a situation where anger comes up, I will acknowledge the anger then breathe deeply, silently counting backwards from ten, and then decide what action to take. Mastery of nonviolence will come as I continue to practice.
For Monday, March 16, The thought for today is COMPASSION.
Mother Teresa implored us to “find someone who thinks he is alone and let him know that he is not.”
"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." -The 14th Dalai Lama
"A human being is part of the whole, called by us 'universe,' a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
-Albert Einstein
Compassion is about both relieving suffering and about celebration (which also relieves suffering by putting it in a context of gratitude). With compassion comes a greatness of heart. Compassion arises when we allow our heart to be touched by the pain and needs of others.
Today: I will engage compassion to lead my actions, my words and my life.
Peace, blessings & brilliance,
Janis
www.janis-kelly.com
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