Teaching & Kindness

For the past couple of weeks I have been working with someone in the role of a teacher. Our work together involved studying some chapters of the Lotus Sutra, one of Shayamuni Buddha's last sermons. One of these chapters is entitled "Teachers of the Dharma," and among other things it outlines the qualities of a good teacher: Compassion, Patience, and Equanimity. I think I want to narrow those 3 qualities down to one: Kindness. If we are being a kind and good teacher we will embody compassion, patience, and equanimity. And being kind is a good quality for being a good human being.

Being kind brings about joy, too. The person being kind feels good, and the receiver of the kindness feels good. This joy makes both parties then feel grateful, grateful being able to help and grateful for being helped. This gratitude then empowers us to continue these acts of kindness, as we wish to continue to feel these pleasant feelings of joy and gratitude. This creates a cycle of positive behavior as opposed to negativity. We feel we can, want, will do something for others, rather than can't or  won't. It reminds me of that song from the 60's, I think, "Love Train." Come on aboard the Love Train and it will take you to wonderful places.

Being Grateful for Busyness-Part 2

Last time I wanted us to think about how wonderful it is that we have so much to do. Without these duties, committments, engagements, etc. we would stagnate. Actually we do change, but not for the better.
That is the other great part about busyness. It provides us those opportunities for changing, growing, in a good way. Of course there will be things we just cannot do, whether we are physically unable or the option is not in sync with who/where we are at the moment. But as much as we can, let us embrace each moment, each opportunity. It has truly amazed me since I have been working on this (please note that I am still worikng on this, just like you) that those opportunities that I most dreaded or expected very little from were the ones that provided me with the most joy, the best lesson, a new insight. Moving into the unfamiliar or uncomfortable, be it person, place, or thing, wakes us up. That is a huge part of enlightenment, the waking up. Most of our lives are so pre-programmed. We do this on Monday, this at 2pm, that at 9pm, and so forth. We may not want to do that thing at 5pm, because we won't have to much time free before the 9pm thing, but that 5pm thing could change your life.
I guess it is all about being open, accepting.