No matter where we look or listen these days, it seems that signs and stories of fear, anxiety, and gloom-and-doom are plentiful. Amidst this 'boom of gloom and doom', as Jonathan Cainer calls it, we're also called upon to be ever-mindful of what we allow ourselves to get caught up in, because it has an effect on our clarity of mind, thought, and action.
What 'ripple' we want to send forth becomes a focusing question for our practice. What effect do you want to have on others during these times (or in general)? What do you want to add to by way of your energy, focus, thought, and action? How do you want to invest your energy?
Dorothy Day of the Catholic Worker called it 'the little work', and there are similar concepts in various traditions. The gist is that small things can make a big difference, just as a small pebble tossed into a pool sends out ripple after ripple to the broader body of water. So, too, do our primary thought patterns and energetic imprints, and of course, our actions themselves.
We always think that it has to be some 'big action', worthy of our 'five minutes of fame'; something that saves the world (assuming that it has to be 'big' in order to do that). And yet just as days of made of minutes lived one by one, big effects can accumulate and ripple outward by small gestures, acts of loving-kindness, and even just being loving-kindness.
If we assume that we are not the isolated beings that we've been taught we are, and know that we are all connected through the air we breathe and a morphogenic energy field that connects us, we have a new understanding of 'being the change'!
Buddha said that 'with your thoughts you make the world.' Many indigenous peoples understand that our thoughts and beliefs contribute to a dream that we live as 'reality'; they know that by changing the 'dreaming', we change the 'reality'. Again, sages and masters from many traditions and philosophies echo this sentiment; it's wise guidance.
So if we allow ourselves to get caught up in, rather than just being aware of or witnessing, the waves of gloom, doom, fear, anxiety, scarcity, and the intolerance, panic, and fear-based reactions they often open us to, we are contributing to that dynamic or 'reality'.
This is a discipline for all on the path, whether the 'path' be spiritual or philosophical at its center. And it's a significant challenge and deep, deep practice for those of us who are more sensitive to subtle energies, and/or more empathic in Nature.
In challenging times we are called upon to deepen our practice to a more aware and conscious presence and ripple effect. However we do that, whatever our practices -- the ones that helps us to see and witness compassionately but not go over the cliff, and instead cultivate a loving-kindness that is centered in Grace, faith, patience ... whatever words we prefer to use that infer a ripple effect that we'd like to contribute to and an energetic dynamic and 'reality' that we'd like to live in with our fellow human-and-other-Beings.
There is a wonderful practice called 'the inner smile', and there are also meditations, visualizations, affirmations, powerful conversations, energy and vibrational healing practices, flower essence and oils, sacred ritual, movement, mindfulness, and other practices that allow us to act on the intention to cultivate and ripple out healing and heartfulness, and a spaciousness that allows something more beautiful, joyful, and graceful to grow.
It can seem impractical, but as history and our wisdom teachers have reminded us and reminded us again, it's infinitely practical. With our thoughts we shape our world; with our choice we create dream-realities of Heaven or Hell.
And this can give us hope that the loving-kindness and conscious attention we bring to simple, seemingly small, everyday things and thoughts can have a big effect.
As Gandhi said, "As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world - that is the myth of the atomic age - as in being able to remake ourselves." Because he knew that the world 'reality' is just a reflection of us.
Joyful Blessings,
Jamie
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