Brightening Someone Else's Inner Light

Everyone has their own journey to walk, their own experiences to meet, their own decisions to make, their own actions to be responsible for, their own steps to take on their path. No matter what someone else encounters on their path it is not our path to walk or our decision to make. The experience is solely that individuals. 

But that doesn't mean when someone experiences times of great suffering we can't be there with them. There is no possibility that we may eliminate their suffering, we are not them, but that doesn't mean we cannot help ease their suffering. In fact, one of the most important acts a person may do for another is to demonstrate kindness. A smile. A kind word. Listening attentively. Even simply acknowledging some ones existence. These are all simple acts of kindness.

The Buddha states that in order to realize enlightenment one must have wisdom and compassion, much like two wings on a bird. Demonstrating compassion towards another not only helps to ease their suffering but also cultivates compassion and empathy within. What greater good may there be? 

Although we may never eliminate suffering in the world, we still make an effort. And it is this kind intention, the hopeful seed within, that we care for and nurture. 

People feel sad or get depressed when they experience overwhelming suffering. Feelings of hopelessness or despair begin to root within the mind and if watered depression may begin to set in.

So how do we brighten someone else's inner light? Before I offer some suggestions let's look at the primary cause of a defeated spirit, future living or expectations. 

Let's consider the following example: your best friend has worked very hard at her company for several years, always show up to work and her work is high quality. Maybe she even gets yearly performance raises. The company posts a new management position and she feels she's ideal for. You both practice interviewing techniques. She interviews and all goes well only to find out that someone junior to her was offered the position. She relates to you that she feels defeated and wonder why she's worked so hard for a company only to be rejected.

As a mindfulness practitioner you examine her feelings nonjudgmentally and realize that her suffering comes from the expectation of a particular event outcome. The expectation, or assumption, was that she would get a promotion based on past performance, she was living in the future. Living in the future is not living in the present moment. Nor is living in the past. Living in the past or living in the future diminishes the inner light. 

So how may we help our dear friend? Here are some nurturing suggestions:

• We listen without judgment to what they say.

• We acknowledge without judgment their feelings but we do not offer advice or suggestions on what to do next time, instead only acknowledge their circumstances.

• Without judgment, we let them know that all things in life are impermanent.

• Remind them that oftentimes not getting what you want is the best that could happen.

• Let it go with grace. Holding on to the past increases suffering.    

Remember, we each are on our own path and no matter what we do we may never eliminate another's suffering, but we can ease it a bit, thus helping them walk with awareness.

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more ways to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Interacting Mindfully With Difficult Colleagues

No one wants to suffer. We all seek to have a more balanced and harmonious life with ourselves, others, and our surroundings. One environment people tend to spend a significant time in is at their workplace. While there we often see posters or pictures or even coffee mug slogans from people who proclaim this harmonious desire yet their daily actions suggest quite the opposite.

Like any illness, when someone is suffering, symptoms present themselves in a manor of ways. Since we often spend a significant amount of time in a work environment one may experience firsthand some of these symptoms that may, if not addressed with compassion and empathy, will affect office dynamics in a negative way. 

People will, on occasion, have a 'bad day' which may impact interactions temporarily. But what about the the employee who is continually difficult not only in meetings but even around the watercooler?

One, no matter how intimate they are with another, will never truly know what another is thinking or feeling. We will never know what is going on is someone else's homelife. Therefor it is always important to treat everyone we encounter with kindness.

Difficult behavior often presents itself as rudeness, arrogance, the 'one upper', bluntness, pettiness, anger, sarcastic, short temperedness, and even impatient towards others. There are certainly many root causes, too many to include here but all have the same solution.

Anger is not cured with anger. Rudeness is not remedied with rudeness. Impatience is not treated with impatience. All of these harmful conditions may simply be treated with lovingkindness.

We would never treat an illness with another type of illness, simply put one does not treat pneumonia with the flu virus. Continuing the suffering of another living being does not promote healing for that being.

When we experience hurt from our difficult colleague our action could be one of embracing warmth. Let them know that you 'see' them and that you 'hear' them. You are not required to agree or to disagree with their statement but just the simple acknowledgment of the statement is enough. Let them know that you are open to warmly and with mindful intent listen to their concerns. Sit with them at lunch. Perhaps even buy a raffle ticket or magazine subscription that supports their child's activities. Offer them praise when a job is well done, no matter how small the job was. 

As with all changes, they typically do not occur overnight. Recall your mindfulness journey as an example. When we simply listen to and acknowledge another being for their worth, their presence, and their effort, new seeds will begin to root and eventually blossom given the proper nurturing environment. You have the opportunity to be the warm sunshine, the thirst quenching water, or the fertile soil, or yes, possibly all three to this suffering being.

We all have something to teach and we all have something to learn from someone else. And these gifts may never be truly realized if kept sequestered under the vail of suffering. 

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Generosity, Charity, and Mindfulness

One of the Buddhas quotes on generosity states that 'Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous. We experience joy in the actual act of giving something. And we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given' describes all of the benefits that this action offers.

Before every action we do, no matter how small or large, there is a thought. And this though is the inception of what comes next, the action. And as with all thought what we water is what begins to bloom.

When we water this thought, the upcoming generous action for example, we begin to allow our minds to picture the joyful reaction of the recipient. 

We are allowing ourselves to be vulnerable for a moment. We allow ourselves to show another human being kindness and recognition for who they are. 

And it is with these good and kind thoughts that we develop ourselves into more compassionate human beings. 

Family members and others with whom we often interact are most often the beneficiaries of these kind acts but how often do we expand our generosity to others that we may never even know their first names?

Probably not as much as we would like. 

So let me ask this question: what's stopping you?

Maybe you don't feel your generosity will truly help the other person.

Maybe you feel you won't get the 'thank you' you deserve.

Perhaps you even feel that other's are less deserving or not deserving at all. 

Suppose I ask you to consider this, that the inception of generosity is just as rewarding as the giving and the remembering that we gave. Wouldn't that be enough to show more generosity to others? 

Perhaps the good deed only isn't the deed itself but the very sincere thought of the deed.

But when we actually do the giving there is a benefit we often overlook, empathy. Why empathy? It's empathy because we recognize the suffering in others, even if we don't see or know them personally. 

Perhaps you give to a local orphanage or hospital. You probably don't know any of the children or patience in the hospital but you give to help ease their suffering. And that is empathy.

And each time we give we bring up the fond memories of the previous time we gave which continue to promote the empathy and compassion within.

Compassion and empathy are essential to mindfulness. So as we give generously to others to help ease their suffering we too are learning to ease our own suffering as well.

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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The Five Precepts of Buddhism: A Path Towards Liberation

It seems that in modern life we are often pulled into many directions. Not knowing where to go. Who or what to believe. As a result we end up being a slave to our own superficial whims and desires. Our minds become filled with distractions and unwholesomeness.

But how do we free our minds from such trivialities we consider as important? 

We cannot achieve liberation without freeing the mind. And to achieve this liberation the Buddha teaches three valuable lessons, morality, concentration and wisdom.

Each of these teachings builds upon the other, like the concrete foundation of a home is made of cement, sand, and water. Each supporting each other to provide a solid area to build upon when solidified.

To develop our foundation we must give up what is evil and develop what is good. This process is referred to as sila.

In the Dhammapada (verse 183) this is summed up as:

Abandoning what is evil, developing what is good, purifying the mind – that is the teaching of the Buddhas.

The Buddha also tells us that the “Mind is the forerunner of all things, mind is their leader, they are made by the mind. When someone speaks or acts with impure thoughts, suffering follows, like the wheel follows the hoof of the ox.”

When we live a life founded in morality we live a life free from restlessness and remorse as a result of regret.

But what is moral behavior?

The Buddha gives us these five receipts or five virtues to develop: 

1. Abstain from killing
2. Abstain from stealing
3. Abstain from sexual misconduct
4. Abstain from wrong speech
5. Abstain from the use of intoxicating substances that cause inattention

1. Abstain From Killing

Picture a beetle on the road. At the same time you decide you're going for a walk. As you walk you encounter this beetle. Following this precept you go around the beetle. But let's now say you're driving a car and you don't see this beetle. If you did not see it and kill it, this does not result in negative karma.

Abstaining from killing also includes intentionally causing the death of another sentient being. For example, hiring someone to do this for you. You are still directly responsible.

The primary goal of no killing is to develop our compassion.

2. Abstain From Stealing

Wanting something that is not yours is an unhealthy desire and leads to suffering. This precept certainly includes taking what's not yours by theft or deception but this precept goes further than that. A more complete translation would be ‘abstain from taking what is not given’.

This precept presupposes a deep respect for the property of others. Don’t just assume that you can borrow something.

An interesting consideration of this precepts also includes wasting someone's time. This to may also be considered stealing.

 

3. Abstain From Sexual Misconduct

Sexual misconduct originates from sensory desire, physical or one of power. The desire for pleasurable experiences can be so great that you lose the ability to lookout for the wellbeing of yourself and the other.

The Buddha speaks out against sexual misconduct and offers multiple examples of what sexual misconduct is:

• sexual acts with someone who is under the protection of their parents
• with someone who already has a steady relationship,
• unwanted or punishable sexual acts (abuse),
• and prostitution

In essence, this precepts relates to any form of sexual act that harms the other person.

4. Abstain From Wrong Speech

Abstaining from wrong speech means:

• Not lying, even 'white lies'.
• Not speaking in a way that causes division among others
• Not using rude language
• Not gossiping

If we look even slightly closer at these examples we can easily see that much of what we witness on TV, from sitcoms, cable news, political speeches, or talk shows would fall under many of these examples.

5. Abstain From The Use Of Intoxicating Substances That Cause Inattention

The last precept is to abstain from using intoxicants that cause inattention. The piece ‘that cause inattention’ is essential inclusion too. This precept is specifically about abstaining from things that prevent or work against aware.

Alcohol is the most commonly used of these substances. Alcohol divides the mind and makes this awareness impossible. Whoever drinks alcohol irrevocably brings his mind into a state that is incompatible with the teachings of the Buddha.

But it's not only alcohol but also includes not taking any substances that causes one to lose conscience or conduct immoral behavior. For example, Marijuana, opium, amphetamine, sniffing glue, morphine, etc. The exception to some of these would be when they are prescribed by a physician for legitimate medical purposes.

The main purpose of this precept is to prevent your mind from becoming so weakened and losing control that you will break the other precepts.

Summary

In modern life some of these precepts may seem restrictive but when considered with the wisdom that which they were given we see that they are really freeing and liberating.

When our minds are occupied by alcohol or drug addiction are we free? No, of course not, One is then a servant to another master.

When we spend our precious time gossiping about another we are causing suffering to them, even if they aren't present, and suffering for ourselves. 

If we look at jails and prisons they are filled with people who have violated one or more of these precepts resulting in their incarceration. This too is suffering for that person as well as their family members.

When you follow these five precepts you will experience the freedom and liberation that all beings seek.

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

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An Interfaith Memorial Service - A Mindful Perspective

Death happens to us all. For some, life will be long and last many decades or perhaps all the way to the century point. Others, death may come much, much, sooner. Some may experience a violent death. Some may succumb to disease or illness, while most simply die in their sleep peacefully.

There is no escaping this natural process. We all are born. Live for a certain amount of time. And then we pass on to the next state.

And when this passing occurs, shortly thereafter family, friends, and loved ones gather to remember and honor this person. This loving occasion, in one form or another, is common to all religions and people of the world. 

One of my revered and sacred duties is to help honor and remember those who has passed in the Buddhist tradition. And over this past weekend my services were required.

I was approached by this loving family about a month ago and they asked if I was able to provide this type of service for their beloved family member. I replied in the affirmative and we began to work out the details since they were all coming from out of town.

There are many ways and traditions that may be followed depending on tone one would like to set but generally they range from traditional services to informal to somewhere in-between. However, they all encompass some traditional aspects such as paying reverence to the Buddha, sutras, and to referring to the person who has passed. In most traditions we refer to the one who has passed as still with us and addressing them by name.

Coming from a predominantly Christian family, the family members I had the pleasure to present to were kind and welcoming but a little unsure of what to expect. Afterall this was, I assume, the first time they had ever experienced any type of religious service other than a Christian one.

An alter was already set up with some wonderful pictures of the deceased that spanned throughout their life, there was a beautiful flower arraignment, as well as their ashes. I added some candles and invited others to light an incense stick if they wanted.

As I began, I warmly welcomed them and thanked them for coming to this service. I set the tone as one of light and informal, yet a supportive, gathering of friends. This matched the deceased persons personality.

When speaking to any audience it’s important to make some type of connection. Here I chose to highlight the similarities between the two types of services. In Buddhist services we offer homage to the Buddha. I let them know that Buddhist don’t regard him as a ‘God’ but we are acknowledging his achievements, much like a Christian might prey to St. Christopher before a journey or a high school student would to St. Mary before a math test.

Where something new or unfamiliar occurred, I explained the significance. This is how you build an understanding and promote growth.

After this was the eulogy which was then followed by an opportunity for family and friends to share their stories and fond memories of the deceased. As with most public speaking it’s hard to get the first one going but when it happens stories flow like a waterfall. It truly is an amazing time for all. 

We talked about the many gifts this person gave to those around her, from people needing guidance, to appliances, or just a warm hug. This person was always there to help support. And I gently let the audience know that this gathering too was a gift.  It’s a gift because many had not seen each other in many years, it offered an opportunity to overcome any petty disputes, and an opportunity to strengthen these very important family bonds. This was the final gift that was given to each one present.

I finished the service and I did notice people moving to different parts of the room and talking.

On my way out I was approached and told that initially many were skeptical of a Buddhist service at first, not knowing what to expect, but afterwards several viewpoints changed, and minds were opened.

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

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The Three Jewels of Buddhism

In Buddhism there are what as known as ‘The Three Jewels’ and each of these jewels represents a wonderful place of refuge. Remember, as the Buddha revealed to us in the Four Noble Truths, life will constitute moments of suffering or displeasure or unhappiness. And a refuge is a place where way may seek sanctuary or safety during these, and any other moments for that matter, of our lives.

The Three Jewels are: The Buddha, The Dharma, and The Sangha.

But what do they mean? How may we meaningfully incorporate them into our lives?

Let’s first examine what they mean.

The Buddha is simple the historical figure you’re probably already familiar with, much like Jesus in Christianity. However, unlike Jesus, Buddha was a man exactly like you and me. We recognize Buddha as the enlightened one who discovered the path to liberation form cravings and clinging by leaving his princely life to one of self-discovery.

The Dharma are what we consider the Buddhas teachings. The three main teachings consist of The Four Noble Truths, The Noble Eightfold Path, and the Dhammapada, however there are a number of stories illustrating his wisdom and kindness. When you examine the Dharma you see the common themes of mindfulness, kindness and ethical conduct throughout. The Dharma is often represented by an eight spoked wheel.

The Sangha is the spiritual group or community of Buddhists, much like a congregation is to a church. The Sangha is an important part of the spiritual community because it’s where we may learn from others who may be more advanced than we are but also from each other. Some examples of a Sangha are those living the monastic life, laypeople gathering to practice, or even viewers watching a talk on YouTube. The interpretation of a Sangha is all inclusive if you like.

So how do we incorporate the Three Jewels into our daily practice?

For me, I recite the following during my morning meditations.

I take refuge in the Buddha and the Buddha takes refuge in me.

I take refuge in the Dharma and the Dharma takes refuge in me.

I take refuge in the Sangha and the Sangha takes refuge in me.

Notice the second part, the phrase ‘takes refuge in me’. This is an important part of Buddhism; we are not separate from life; we are not separate from each other. This is a concept known as interbeing and as we take refuge in one of the jewels that jewel takes refuge in us.

So we may also think of these recitations as:

As I sit with the Buddha, the Buddha sits with me.

As I sit with the Dharma, the Dharma sits with me.

As I sit with the Sangha, the Sangha sits with me.

To me, this understanding, this connection to all life, is what makes Buddhism special to me. We are not dominate over anyone nor are we subservient to anyone; we are all precious and worthy. And in knowing this how can we be mean or cruel to one another?

With that, I invite you to explore this question more in-depth. I think you’ll find the answers liberating.

I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

Shoveling and Driving In The Snow: A Mindful Perspective

 Promoting Wellbeing In Any Circumstance

I live in Minnesota and if you are unfamiliar with what our weather is like in the winter you may be assured it is cold. And snowy. Our temperatures do hover around the -20 C (-4 F) during this time but often get lower and on occasion in the low positives. As you may imagine the state is well prepared to handle what mother nature offers during this season. An abundance of snowplows and road salt and sand are not in short supply. The state does a well enough job to be sure of.

Our driveways, well those are a different story. That task is up to us.

Overnight we were gifted by nature about 35 cm (14 in) of snow. The snow is continuing as I write this too. I have always enjoyed the snow and still do to this day. Ever since I was a young boy, I would always be outside with my friends playing in it. From sledding down a nearby hill, to making snow forts, to snowball fights. I did not easily give in to the cold back then.

The snow was no surprise, it had been forecasted for several days. Looking outside it was a perfect winter landscape, almost like a Bob Ross painting. So peaceful. Very serene. It did not want to be disturbed.

But as with significant amount of snow it is necessary to shovel and clear your driveway. After my morning coffee and breakfast, it was time to begin.

At first glance the amount of snow may seem insurmountable.

But to think that way would be to water the seeds of negativity. It is not Right Thought.

Instead, I choose to view this important task with mindfulness and love.

When we are faced with a task that oftentimes may seem to be hard, time consuming, or cumbersome, we are given a wonderful choice.

We may face shoveling with negativity, “Ugh, I hate the snow and I hate the cold. And I hate shoveling snow’.

Or we may face shoveling with positivity, “How fortunate I am to be outside and how pretty the snow is but I need to remove it from the driveway for my family’s safety in case of an emergency’.

Whatever choice you chose is up to you but with either decision you still must shovel snow.

If you choose the negative mindset, you are more likely to not engage the task with mindfulness and the final product is sloppy.

This would not be Right Though and continuing with this mindset waters thoughts and emotions like criticism and anger. You are not truly living in the present moment because you are busy chastising nature rushing a necessary task.

Whereas if you view this action with positivity, you are cultivating Right Thought and the nurturing thought and emotions such as joyfulness, awareness, and love. You are living in the present moment and completing the task with mindfulness.

The same awareness can be brought to when it comes to driving in the snow. First, you do want to make sure conditions such as visibility are sufficient or that roads are not too icy. Again, you have two options, you can view this as a negative which does not promote wellbeing. Or as a positive which does promote wellbeing. And that is the beauty of what we are offered in life, choice.

And that is also the beauty in what we offer ourselves.

 

I wish you peace and ease,

Vladimir

What We Teach Our Children About Emotions

Promoting Emotional Wellbeing In Children 

I recently read a meme on Facebook, as I’m sure many of us do, that read something like this ‘I act strong for my children but when I’m alone I’m scared and want to cry’. And that got me thinking about how we as parents try to protect our children from any concerns, fears, or uncertainties we may have as parents. After all, as parents we are supposed to have the answers, offer stability, and provide guidance. 

But if we look at this action through mindfulness, we see that this very act of love and protection towards our children may in fact be the opposite of what is best for their development.

Why is that and what do I mean be this?

As mindfulness practitioners we know that feelings come, we invite them to sit with us, and then after a short time, we let them go. We know and understand that fear is living in the future and anxiety is the desire to control a situation. We cannot live in the future, nor may we control every aspect of a situation. We are not being accepting of what is being offered. Remember that ‘accepting’ is not ‘giving up’ but more of an acknowledgment of the circumstances. We may still work towards a more balanced path forward.

The detrimental aspect of our ‘protective’ actions is that this teaches our children that our emotions are shameful and need to be hidden, even from those we love. If you recall from some of my earlier posts and videos, we know that shame is a controlling behavior and does not promote wellbeing. Try to recall your emotions from a situation in your life where you felt the need to hide an action due to shame. As a result, hiding does not teach our children how to handle these new feeling and emotions that they are experiencing, many for the first time, appropriately. This may lead to emotional immaturity as they get older.

As a mindfulness instructor I see this result on a steady basis, adults not knowing how to handle difficult emotions with compassion and care. As a result, many of these adults have significant negative police interactions, relationship issues, and some have substance abuse concerns as well. Mindfulness will help ease their suffering, but it takes love, compassion, empathy, and time. But it will come.

When we allow our children to see how we handle difficult situations that encompass complex or hard emotions with acceptance and loving kindness, we are truly preparing them for stability, emotional maturity, and wellbeing as they walk their path. Notice I have not said our children need to know explicit details of the situation.

These conversations are something that need to be age appropriate. But it is certainly fine to say, ‘mommy had a difficult day at work, and I am mindfully accepting the day’ or ‘daddy and mommy are having a disagreement and we are mindfully working to find balance and harmony’. No specific details were offered of the situation, but an acknowledgment of a difficult situation was given. There was no shame introduced in hiding how you were feeling.

This is teaching our children how to positively accept emotions that may at first seem uncomfortable but as time goes on and they get older they will learn to say, ‘hello fear, I see you. Thank you for visiting but it is now time to leave’.

Wishing you peace and ease,

Vladimir

When Your Pot Is Too Small?

Knowing When You've Outgrown Your Environment

An intrigal part of our personal growth and development is recognizing when we've reached our potential in a certain environment. This environment could be a relationship, a social group, or even a career. In not holding onto a past that no longer offers warmth and development the Buddha gave a wonderful analogy that as a snake sheds its skin so too must we shed our past.

What once started off as a wonderful and loving to grow has reached its limits. It's also important to understand that this cycle of growth is normal and healthy for us. However, when we remain in these environments anxiety, unease, or perhaps even a sense of contempt may begin to manifest within. This is the unhealthy aspect of staying.

How can you recognize when your pot is becoming too small in these environments?

You may begin to develop thoughts of 'why am I still here'? 'I'm wasting my time'. Thoughts of this nature are initial signs and allowing the continued watering of these seeds of negativity perpetuates an unhappy circumstance for all parties involved.

When we are mindful of ourselves and others we know that there may be times where we have outgrown or learned all that a situation has to offer. When we come to this conclusion it's important to approach both with grace and kindness.

Like an Oak tree growing in a pot who realizes their pot is too small, there are two opportunities that we may be grateful for as we make this growth transition. The third option is least desirable as we walk along our path.

The first, being grateful to the current situation. For it is here that you learned to develop into who you are now. You have grown. This is the normal and healthy part of your growth. For example, imagine having the same mindset or views at 50 years old as you did at 20 years old. That would not be a healthy condition to exist with as one would develop conflict with peers their own age.

The second, being grateful for the new opportunity that lies ahead. You may have an idea what this is, or you may not. If this new opportunity has been thrust upon you as part of an unknown event, a layoff for example, welcome it with openness and intrigue. With the right perspective it can lead you to wonderful realizations about yourself. Both of which can lead you down a new and educational path of development.

The third option would be to remain in this limiting environment. This will not be beneficial to your personal growth and development and oftentimes is regressive or destructive towards your mental wellbeing. And just as worse you will make others suffer as your negativity will begin to show.

When the time comes to severing these ties be thankful to whomever you speak to and realize that they have learned from you as well and that this may be a challenging time for them too. We must ease suffering for all involved.

Promoting kindness in all we do, even to ourselves, is an important aspect for our own development and growth and it's a loving action to change our pot.

I wish you peace and ease,

Vladimir

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

How Can Pets Teach Us About Mindfulness

The Mindful Pet Owner

A lot of us had pets as kids. And even now as adults some of us still do. We enjoy their company. Wagging tails after a long day at work. A furry face sitting on your chest in the morning saying 'feed me, I'm hungry'. Or just sitting on the couch watching TV or reading a book with your companion on your lap.

As children we learned that our beloved friend needs us to feed them, take them outside, play with, housebreaking, and to provide them with the love and security that all living beings need.

When we were sick they provided us comfort. When they were sick we lovingly reciprocated. When we cried they offered us comfort. When they cried we offered them comfort. 

And they certainly made us laugh when they acted silly.

When they were afraid, we offered them solace and refuge. If they used the floor as their restroom, we cleaned it up, perhaps we got a little angry with them (or ourselves) but that soon dissipated.

All of these actions were how we learned love, compassion, empathy, and patience for living beings. These are the seeds of mindfulness that enable us to also offer compassion and empathy towards all loving being.

So how can we use what we have learned from our pets and translate those considerations to people, including ourselves?

All sentient beings have emotions. When our pet experienced sadness we didn't minimize that feeling. We offered them reassurance and love.

When any person feels sadness why should we treat them any differently? We may hear from someone justifying their sentiments with 'Oh, I told you they were trouble'!

When we see a stray animal on the street we immediately offer it food. 

Why should we treat a person differently? Some may justify not doing so by thinking 'They must be on drugs or an alcoholic'!

If an animal needs a new home we go to a shelter and offer them ours.

Why should we treat a person differently? (Oh, they are from a poor country and will steal our jobs and bring disease).

Use what you have learned with your beloved and precious pet and offer the same compassion, love, and empathy to people, including yourself.

When you do, the world changes. You change. You become more connected with yourself, others, and the entire world.

Sadly, they too are very often the ones who teach us a final and very precious lesson, death. If you had a pet as a child that you grew up with you experienced what happens to a body as it ages and then succumbs to passing. 

When this happens, we experience loss for the first time and it is difficult. But we learn to accept that death is a natural part of life, just as much as birth is.

Every living being you encounter will die and as mindfulness practitioners we can carry this reverence for life into all we do.

Pets do offer us a wonderful opportunity to truly develop our mindfulness practice.  

Wishing you peace and ease,

Vladimir

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Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.