On Kindness
My religion is simple - my religion is kindness.
Dalai Llama
Kind a.
Etymology:
Middle English kinde, from Old English cynd; akin to Old English cynn kin
Date:
before 12th century
1.
Characteristic of the species; belonging to one's nature; natural; native.
2.
Having feelings befitting our common nature; congenial; sympathetic; as, a kind
man; a kind heart.
3. Showing tenderness or goodness; disposed to do good and
confer happiness; averse to hurting or paining; benevolent; benignant; gracious.
4.
Proceeding from, or characterized by, goodness, gentleness, or benevolence; as,
a kind act.
I came across this quotation recently, and it really captured my imagination:
"The
day will come when, after harnessing space, the winds, the tides, and gravitation,
we shall harness for God the energies of love.
And on that day, for the
second time in the history of the world,
we shall have discovered fire."
-Pierre Teilhard De Chardin
How do we harness the energies of love, be it for the God of our understanding or simply for the common benefit of humanity?
By putting into action one simple idea:
Kindness is love made visible.
In my own life, I can trace my spiritual evolution as the gradual (and ongoing!) transition from seeing the world through a filter of "hip" cynicism to seeing with eyes of loving kindness.
Here are some of the distinctions I've made so far on my journey:
Cynical | Kind |
| People are sheep | There is something I can learn from everyone I meet |
| People are bitter | People are sad |
| People are cruel | People are out of touch with their hearts |
| "Life's a bitch and then you die" | "Every moment is a moment of creation, and each moment of creation contains infinite possibilities." |
| No pain, no gain | No pain, no pain |
Today's Experiment:
1. In order to put this principle into action, ask yourself some of the following 'kindness questions':
- What is the kindest way for me to begin my day today?
- How can I be kinder to my boss or co-workers today?
- How can I express more kindness with my family today?
- What would be a kinder way to say 'no'?
- What's the kindest thing I could do for myself right now?
2. Create your own 'kindness questions' throughout the day today. The more present-moment and action oriented your questions, the more relevant and impactful you'll find the answers!
Example:
It is 1:14am - I did not begin writing until late in the evening when our Easter guests had gone, and I have written and rejected three separate drafts so far this evening. I'm feeling tired and contemplating putting off completing this until morning. I ask myself, "What would be the kindest way for me to proceed?"
I realize I have been sitting in an uncomfortable position and shift in my chair. I recognize that for me now, to continue would be far kinder than to stop, though getting up to make a cup of tea would be a welcome break... tea in hand :-), I carry on with my writing!
3. This week, use kindness as your criteria for as many decisions as you can think of. List the choices available and then ask yourself which feels kindest to you.
Have fun, learn heaps, and consider this:
Aldous Huxley was a researcher, novelist, and philosopher who spent the majority of his adult life studying human consciousness and exploring religious and spiritual disciplines from around the world. Towards the end of his life, he was asked by a learned group of professors if he would be willing to attempt to sum up the essence of what he had learned. His response was simple and to the point: "
It is a little embarrassing that after years of experience, study and research,
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