Monday, April 7, 2008

People Who Don't Get It

The following is from the today's Daily Om

People Who Don’t Get It
Compassion for All

You may be someone who understands the true nature of reality, perceiving deeply that we all emanate from the same source, that we are all essentially one, and that we are here on Earth to love one another. To understand this is to be awakened to the true nature of the self, and this understanding is a blessing. Nevertheless, people who just do not get it are seemingly everywhere and, often, occupy positions of power. It can be frustrating and painful to watch them behave unconsciously.

We all encounter individuals such as this in our families, at work, and in all areas of public life. It is easy to find ourselves feeling intolerant of these people, wishing we could be free of them even though we know that separation from them is an illusion.

It helps sometimes to think of us all as different parts of one psyche. Within our own hearts and minds we have dark places that need healing, just as the heart and mind of the world have their dark places. The health of the whole organism depends upon the relative health of the individuals within it. We increase harmony when we hold on to the light, not allowing it to be clouded by judgment, anger, and fear about those who behave unconsciously. It is easier to accomplish this if we don’t focus on the negative qualities of individuals and instead on how increasing our own light will increase that of the overall picture.

When dealing with people who seem very unconscious, it helps to remember that everyone must find their own way to awakening, and that the experiences they are having are an essential part of their process. Holding them in the glow of our energy may be the best way to awaken theirs. At the same time, we are inspired by their example to look within and shed light on our own unconscious places, sacrificing the urge to judge and surrendering instead to humble self-inquiry.

I think this is something that those of us on a Juice Feast can relate to on many levels. One that comes up for many of us is being "different" from the mainstream in regards to our eating or juicing as it may be.

We can take this stance when dealing with the endless questions, judgements and comments made by people that we run into on a daily basis. I think the true healing comes from the way we treat our close family and friends that are not on the same path as us. Staying centered within ourselves and tending to our needs and letting them take their chosen paths can be difficult. Especially when we are watching people suffer by those choices. Sometimes we are confronted with people that are so fearful or jealous that they lash out and try to prove us wrong or even make fun of us.

How many of us have those same parts within us that pop out and show themselves. Many of us have made poor choices in our lives that have led us to our current health challenges. We may have operated from a place of fear, anger, or a lack of self worth. We may have lashed out at others but more importantly we may have lashed out at ourselves. We might have done things that hurt us physically and emotionally.

So now that we have embarked on this healing journey and we have seen how fantastic we can feel on so many levels we want to know why everyone isn't doing it. Sometimes we can find ourselves looking around and feeling pity for those that are stuck in their old, unhealthy ways. We can take a moment to remember that we could not be where we are today if we didn't go through what we did in the past. Just like we have, the people around us need to make the decisions that serve them in this lifetime. Simply by focusing on our journey and living our lives from a place of health and joy we can encourage anyone who is open and ready for the next stage. For those who aren't, we can offer love, compassion, and freedom from judgement.

1 comment:

Hanlie said...

This post is another example of synchronicity for me! I have been struggling with this very concept since yesterday when I did a post about raw foods and someone said that it sounds a bit faddish... I am pouring so much energy and information into my website and I hope that people will read it and make changes to their lives, but the reality is that most people will read some of it, and think it's not for them... But you know what, if I can help only one person, that's also okay!

Another blogger I read posted about her neighbour's passing yesterday. She's a Christian and he wasn't and she's been unable to sleep because she feels that she should have shared the gospel with him. I feel the same way about health and nutrition... It doesn't mean that I am 100% perfect, but neither do I expect other people to be. I just want people to start realizing that health is attainanable and that they don't have to suffer from obesity and degeneration. I may never stand on a stage and spread the message, but my website could last for a long time and change the lives of a few people. I like that!

Mother Theresa once said something to the effect of "You can't help the whole world, but you can help one person".