If you’ve been reading my posts and e-mails you probably have read about my belief in the importance of meditation. Meditation should be part of everyone’s daily life. It helps relax us and center us. The benefits are greater than I can even express here…you just have to start doing it and see for yourself.
BUT meditation is not the cure-all, end-all or “quick fix.” Meditation is just one tool in our tool belt of life. That fact was driven home for me this past Sunday during our monthly Meditation with Dogs.
It was as it has been every month we do it, beautiful, magical and spiritually connecting with people and dogs on the fourth Sunday of the month. But after the meditation and during our conversation I sensed that while the people who attended were more relaxed there was still an undercurrent of a, sort of, negativity, angst and grappling for the “answer” to true happiness. I sensed people’s life struggles.
Mulling it over this week I realize that Sunday’s gathering was just a reflection of many people in general. Most of us, if we choose to grow and change, are still trying to figure out what the answer is to living a full and meaningful life and the message is beyond meditation. It’s like we are driving a car but with square wheels.
So what is the answer to true happiness and peace? It would be presumptuous of me to assume I know for sure. But as I continue on my own journey I have been blessed to be part of many people’s lives in intimate and loving ways. I have learned so much from so many! I have obsessively studied human behavior, human disabilities, religions and the metaphysical world. I fill my brain with knowledge on a daily basis with self-help books and speeches from experts in a variety of fields. I take classes on all different kinds of topics. I’ve been blessed with learning from so many: some profoundly wise mentors, some seriously unhappy people and everyone in between. Here’s what I have learned so far about true happiness and inner peace:
We must look beyond our selfish, superficial needs and desires and instead nurture ourselves through pure, genuine, self-exploration and love. We must nurture the child within, as well as our older, wiser souls. WE are important.
We must acceptance others, in love, as they are. As you are ever changing, so are others.
We must be mindful of what we do, how we behave. We need to do our best to express love. Energy is all around us. WE are energy. Even when we don’t think we are affecting others, we are. How we FEEL affects us personally and collectively. It is our responsibility to ourselves to our loved ones and all living things to take responsibility of our energetic contribution to this world.
When we realize that what others do that is mean or insensitive it really has nothing to do with us and we need to stop taking it personally and instead know it is about them and their journey, Then we can come to a deeper understanding of all humans here on Earth and we become more accepting and forgiving.
We need to trust that we are on a journey and that when we come from a place of love, that God, the Universe, Divine Love, angels…whatever we believe, will guide our spirits to exactly where we need to be.
And finally, so many of us love our companion animals and love nature because they express themselves so purely and simply. They are such good teachers for us!
Following is a version of the Metta prayer, a Buddhist prayer of healing:
“May all beings be well and safe, may they be at ease. Whatever living beings there may be, whether moving or standing still, without exception, whether large, great, middling, or small, whether tiny or substantial, whether seen or unseen, whether living near or far, born or unborn; may all beings be happy. Let none deceive or despise another anywhere. Let none wish harm to another, in anger or in hate.”
In love and light,
Sandy Kamen Wisniewski