My family calls me Pancho and you might think that I don't know you, but I'd like you to know that I love you all...
Yesterday's sharing circle was very powerful. All started with a profound collective meditation. Stillness is the mother of all intuitions. These were the 3 "intuition points" that flowed through me:
1. The Sufi Filters of Speech.
2. Being not Nice but Kind.
3. Vinoba and the Illuminated Inner Firmament.
1. The Sufi Filters of Speech.
I've been finding very challenging to pass through the 3 filters of speech advised by the Sufis. They advise us to speak only after our words have managed to issue through three filters:
I) Is it true? If so,
II) Is it necessary? Our words must serve some meaningful purpose. Do they clarify the situation or help someone? Or do they strike a discordant or irrelevant note?
III) Is it kind?
In my experience, if it is true and necessary, many times the biggest challenge is to find the kind way to say it. When I don't place myself in the shoes of the other person, it has been very difficult to tune into harmony, into Truth. The self-centered isolated behavior, aka ego, says: "It is true and it is necessary! It's time to learn the hard way! What are you waiting for my righteous fellow?" If we still feel we must speak out after this third filter, we need to choose words that will be supportive and loving, not words that embarrass or wound another person. And for that we need to be creative.
What I have found is that most of the times, in this final kindness gate, actions speak more than words. That is, I try to apply the 3 filters of speech to action. Or as the Mehtas say: Walk the Walk ;-)
2. Being not Nice but Kind.
"Niceness is often filled with falseness—it is a way to not tell the truth, or to obscure it. “Be nice!” is something many of us heard as children as a way of avoiding upsetting someone. While niceness might be a strategy that gets us through an immediate situation, it is not effective in the long run as a way to come together to solve the myriad difficulties facing our communities, both local and global."
"It is crucial that we hold ourselves and each other accountable, and we can do this with hearts of kindness. This often takes a lot of courage. Kindness allows us to say the hardest of things while preserving the dignity of those around us. It allows us to take the big risk of letting people know what is on our minds in a way that is unclouded and respectful. It is an action of the heart."
That's what we are doing here on Wednesdays. We are training our minds in stillness to be kind, to respect all living beings and to offer dignity to each other.
3. Vinoba and the Illuminated Inner Firmament.
Hermano Viral encouraged us to share something we had let go. I'm letting go of the rushing mind. One of my heroes who walked this planet, citizen of the World Vinoba Bhave, has been one of my guides:
"Calm the mind a bit. See the World with a more positive and friendly eye. An infinite number of springs will begin to flow within your heart. Then your innerfirmament will be illuminated with the stars of noble ideas and feelings."
Meditation gives us more choices. Choices to be truthful, pertinent and kind.
If you want to be a rebel, be kind. Human-kind, be both.
May all become compassionate, courageous and wise.
On Aug 27, 2009 Pancho wrote :
My family calls me Pancho and you might think that I don't know you, but I'd like you to know that I love you all...
Yesterday's sharing circle was very powerful. All started with a profound collective meditation. Stillness is the mother of all intuitions. These were the 3 "intuition points" that flowed through me:
1. The Sufi Filters of Speech.
2. Being not Nice but Kind.
3. Vinoba and the Illuminated Inner Firmament.
1. The Sufi Filters of Speech.
I've been finding very challenging to pass through the 3 filters of speech advised by the Sufis. They advise us to speak only after our words have managed to issue through three filters:
I) Is it true? If so,
II) Is it necessary? Our words must serve some meaningful purpose. Do they clarify the situation or help someone? Or do they strike a discordant or irrelevant note?
III) Is it kind?
In my experience, if it is true and necessary, many times the biggest challenge is to find the kind way to say it. When I don't place myself in the shoes of the other person, it has been very difficult to tune into harmony, into Truth. The self-centered isolated behavior, aka ego, says: "It is true and it is necessary! It's time to learn the hard way! What are you waiting for my righteous fellow?" If we still feel we must speak out after this third filter, we need to choose words that will be supportive and loving, not words that embarrass or wound another person. And for that we need to be creative.
What I have found is that most of the times, in this final kindness gate, actions speak more than words. That is, I try to apply the 3 filters of speech to action. Or as the Mehtas say: Walk the Walk ;-)
2. Being not Nice but Kind.
"Niceness is often filled with falseness—it is a way to not tell the truth, or to obscure it. “Be nice!” is something many of us heard as children as a way of avoiding upsetting someone. While niceness might be a strategy that gets us through an immediate situation, it is not effective in the long run as a way to come together to solve the myriad difficulties facing our communities, both local and global."
Form my point of view, this is an excelent article: Don't Be Nice Be Kind
"It is crucial that we hold ourselves and each other accountable, and we can do this with hearts of kindness. This often takes a lot of courage. Kindness allows us to say the hardest of things while preserving the dignity of those around us. It allows us to take the big risk of letting people know what is on our minds in a way that is unclouded and respectful. It is an action of the heart."
That's what we are doing here on Wednesdays. We are training our minds in stillness to be kind, to respect all living beings and to offer dignity to each other.
3. Vinoba and the Illuminated Inner Firmament.
Hermano Viral encouraged us to share something we had let go. I'm letting go of the rushing mind. One of my heroes who walked this planet, citizen of the World Vinoba Bhave, has been one of my guides:
"Calm the mind a bit. See the World with a more positive and friendly eye. An infinite number of springs will begin to flow within your heart. Then your inner firmament will be illuminated with the stars of noble ideas and feelings."
Meditation gives us more choices. Choices to be truthful, pertinent and kind.
If you want to be a rebel, be kind. Human-kind, be both.
May all become compassionate, courageous and wise.