Peace, Dr. G here to speak about the next of our slogans.
we are at the end of point six of mind training. as a reminder, this whole list of don’ts encourages us to focus on ourselves so that we can be honest in our relationships with others.
all these don’ts are opportunities to recognize the building of our ego, to cut it, and to be true to our humanity.
this could be an opportunity for a sense of humor. this helps me remember i’m on a path, not seeking perfection, which gives me the willingness to err without shame or embarrassment.
so the first of our double header is don’t make gods into demons.
this is all about complaining.
life is made of so many moments of joy, even in the midst of turmoil & pain. when we complain or overly attend to judgment, we may lose connection to these small moments of joy.
this doesn’t mean that we’re complicit with something that may be unjust or playful or painful, but adding an AND to the view– this is painful & it was less so a moment ago.
this view can help support fortitude to face what is a source of disease.
a more healthy part of psychology speaks to the four to one rule– four positives to every one negative.
as humans primed to protect ourselves & avoid threat, we need to meet negative experiences with positive ones to build resilience & to have a willingness to find new meaning.
Don’t seek pain as the limbs of your own happiness is the next one.
this is quite direct.
do not base the foundation of your happiness, freedom, or liberation on the pain of another friend or foe.
If we are earnest about our wish for liberation, for a view of compassion for all, this is without discrimination.
it includes all.
wishing another pain keeps us switching roles, becoming aggressor rather than victim. it keeps us repeating the same cycles of interaction who was causing me pain would be of benefit to the greater good, it did.
& I was shocked.
i’m still shocked.
but i was also free of the burdens of hate living on my soul & in my body. & i can think of no better foundation for a path of freedom.
i look forward to our next sharing & we have gone far on this journey for those of you who are just starting it’s we’re always just starting there’s no sequence to how these slogans are how they can be studied.
it is quite nice to do them in the order with which they are presented, & this is the order with which i’m presenting them, but then go back– there are ones that meet you & ones that stick & those are just wonderful to carry with you, to memorize & to use them as moments to return to yourself, return to your intention of not just spirit, but also about how you want to move in the world & what you want echoed back in the world.
we are constantly vibrating off of each other.
& the more that we are intentional about the kind of vibration that we want
i believe we can see it.
i believe we feel it.
so that’s why i’m sharing this practice with you. it’s one of my favorite.
many traditions have some version of, you know, whether you call them like psalms or slogans or koans or some type of thing that we can that’s short & pithy that we can contemplate because we need all of the the tools we can to remember what we’re here to ground & strengthen & fortify around.
thank you for joining me on this journey & i’ll see you soon.
