Thursday, August 16, 2012

Choosing Kindness As a Path To Redirect The Fearful Mind


"The highest wisdom is loving kindness."  (Talmud)

We are used to comfort and obtaining many things with little effort.  Anything that requires effort, many of us do not enjoy. However, if we want to enjoy how our life and life in society works, I think it is paramount that we put effort into that which would benefit us all.

One of those things can be that we consciously choose to be kind to others. There is a book out called: Acts of Random Kindness. You might google this title and read this book. It has great suggestions.
Why would we want to put effort into kindness? Because if we don't, we already start seeing the results of what an unkind society looks like. Fearful people are extremely self centered. Being kind makes us other centered. For a group or society to work properly, we need the latter.

And if we did not learn to be kind (not all of us learn that) than we can still choose to act kindly, provided the person has figured out that kindness goes farther than bullying and aggression.

To choose to be kind also requires us to see the other as worthwhile. The other must be viewed as friend and not as a threat.

Exercises:

Envision yourself performing an act of kindness toward someone it seems to be difficult to be kind to. You choose the act. And envision your act until you are able to actually perform this act in the physical reality we are living in. 

As Christian you may want to pray: "Lord, help me to see others through your loving eyes." While we can chose to act kindly this comes rather hard if we don't call upon God. We are too often missing the mark and need God's grace to guide us.

Reflect on following  Biblical Scripture: "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, KINDNESS, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (Gal.5:22-23)

Reflect on following quotes:

"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." (Dalai Lama 1935)

"The beginning and end of Torah is performing acts of loving kindness" (Talmud)

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." (Mother Theresa)


© 2012 Angelika Mitchell

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