Sometimes people get the mistaken notion that spirituality is a separate department of life, the penthouse of existence. But rightly understood, it is a vital awareness that pervades all realms of our being.

BR. DAVID STEINDL-RAST
I appreciate BR David’s thoughtful reminder that awareness is so important in our everyday lives. Awareness of what ?
Today’s question helps us to put our intentions in our awareness.
Mindfulness is always mindful of something and ethical conduct the first value that comes to my mind.
“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
Lao Tzu
Watching the mind is a full time job! Awareness is essential so thank you BR. David !

I think the habit of mind that wants to cling to notion that I am alone is a good one to shift. The habit of mind that thinks I’m just one person so what difference could I make anyway is another notion which I could change.
Just these two examples bring to mind Thays quote today -“As long as we’re rejecting ourselves and causing harm to our bodies and minds, there’s no point in talking about loving and accepting others.”
The harsh criticism or critic mind needs to shift.
But how is the important part because often we want to push away part of ourselves in a harsh way.
The antidote to the harsh critic is tenderness. I can pay attention with mindful tenderness to what kind of thoughts are going through my mind right now. One useful tool is to notice and say: “real but not true “
Many of our thoughts are regurgitated day after day year after year when we stop to listen to what are minds are saying we plant more roses but using the right fertilizer. So what is my mind getting up to right now is a doorway into shifting habits of mind that are no longer serving.
Gently, gently, slowly, slowly with kindness and love I can pay attention to right here and now to my thoughts and ask is this true ? His Holiness the Dalai Lama uses a 3 point system that’s very useful when considering a response:
1. Is it true?
2. Is it necessary and useful?
3. Is it kind?
This seems like a good thing to use when I am mindful of what thoughts are going on.
Have a beautiful day friends. ❤️

History is filled with lives of inspiration. It’s not easy to pick one!
Adversity is an aspect of life that challenges us no matter who we are.
With the corona virus taking its toll on people all over the world I’m inspired to see how people keep helping others.
I’m inspired by compassion and loving kindness that seems to be within us.
I’m inspired by how many people make the choice to meet adversity with kindness. To choose to make a difference no matter what the cost, even if it means risking their own health. This is an example of loving kindness and compassion in action ! We see it all around us in so many ways from the people who deliver our food to the teachers who teach our kids and of course the countless healthcare workers who keep showing up!
I’m inspired by people and their amazingly huge hearts! I’m grateful we have a world full of compassionate sentient beings because what would we do without each other ?

I can better nurture the people around me and things around me when I am able to stay in the window of tolerance. When I am awake and aware of Limbic reactivity- fight /flight / freeze and what being in that reaction state can do to me and how it has a ripple effect.
Here is where br. David’s stop, look and go can help me to nurture my states of mind.
STOP- breath and come hone to now and the window of tolerance- come hone to now – LOOK – around me and and recognize the thoughts . I can say to myself these thoughts/feelings are real but not true. ( if I’m in fight mode my thoughts are harsh and judgmental/aggressive usually to myself and are made up of an old storyline that’s saying I’m not good enough- there thoughts/feelings are real but not true! They are often our culture talking and not useful at all) Come back to my true hearts intentions- ask myself how can I act in a state of loving kindness and compassion now?
GO- go into the world in this space of calm – CorePeace- in that window of tolerance which is open and acting in my hearts intentions of nonviolent action peacefully moving in the world.
Baby steps waking up over and over again.