Mindfulness: A Path Towards Unity

What is a body?

A body is nothing more than some bones, skin, organs, blood, ligaments, viscera, and water. Simply put a body is a collection of living cells performing a specific function in order to serve as a vessel for you to exist in the current state you're in. Although your cells are living they are not conscious and therefore they are not ‘you’. And like all vessels they come in many different shapes, colors, sizes, some with handles, some without. Some are made from clay or porcelain, while others are made from plastic, glass, or maybe perhaps leather. 

Any vessel is nothing more than a container used to transport something or store safely some precious item. The precious item being stored and transported is ‘you’. And although you inhabit a body the body is not you just like tea is not the cup it resides in. The tea simply takes the form of the cup it resides in. When you drink the tea it then takes the form of you.

So why do we judge so many vessels, 8 billion of them in fact, on the superficial exteriors as good or evil, kind or stingy, ugly or attractive, male or female, gay or straight, or any number of skin deep qualities?

Simple, some is biological or evolutionary but the majority of our 'tastes' are taught. We are indoctrinated as what is safe or likable, most being superficial qualities, by where we live. A square jaw and broad shoulders in a male symbolizes safety and security in Western and European culture but maybe not so much in Indian or Asian. In essence it’s tribalism. And tribalism in modern societies is hurtful and damaging to everyone, including towards the ones that are within the tribe.

But when we alter our perspective to what it means to be ‘you’ we embrace a more unified, open, and mindful understanding. We invite in the understanding that whatever emotions you are capable of, others are capable of the same emotions as well. The singular difference being the vessel those emotions are emanating from. A heterosexual couple's love is no different than that of a gay or lesbian couple. When a female from Egypt feels joy that joyfulness is no more or less than that of a Hispanic boy from Costa Rica. And when an African male experiences fear during a traffic stop, that fearfulness is just as real as a Caucasian male soldier in a war.

When we embrace and diligently practice mindfulness although we see these exterior differences, we validate each and every person's life experiences as they relate it to us, we understand that every emotion they have felt, we too have felt.

When we are truthful with ourselves that we do not like to experience feelings of fear, inadequacy, uncertainty, pain, disappointment, anxiety, separation, irrelevance, disenfranchisement, how can we inflict these conditions on others. That goes back to tribalism.

To begin ending tribalism, harmful divisive thoughts, and violent actions, we simply return home, to our breath.

We may begin with an in breath - I see the pain that my brothers and sisters have experienced.

And with an out breath - I walk with compassion and unity with all living beings as we are all brothers and sisters.

Wishing you continued peace and wellbeing,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram at @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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Thoughts And Prayers And Mindfulness: Does It Work?

During times of sorrow and tears we often hear the words ‘thoughts and prayers’. These words are meant to offer comfort from the unaffected to the affected. But do these actions truly comfort them? Perhaps to some they do and that is a wonderful blessing. However, if we look more deeply into the ‘thoughts and prayers’ action maybe it’s meant to change the perspective of the one offering the ‘thoughts and prayers’.

If we change the terminology slightly from ‘thoughts and prayers’ to ‘mindful meditation’ we change the dynamic to one of sincere, personal reflection. When we send thoughts and prayers, we ask God to help ease the burden someone is experiencing. But God doesn’t interfere in that manner. He has left that important action up to us in the form of mindful meditation. 

As one sits in prayer they are focused on the suffering this person is experiencing. They open their hearts to them. As a result of this opening the emotions that naturally surface during this time revolve around compassion, empathy, and healing. No one desires to see another human being suffer in such extremes.

Let me offer an example, car seats. Before the use of car seats was made compulsory for children many children were severely injured or killed in car accidents. Thoughts and prayers (mindful meditation) were sent and eventually societies mindsets evolved to one that could not fathom how we did not better protect our children in the past. 

The evolution from no car seats then to car seats now did not occur overnight, over the course of a month, or year, but in fact took the better part of several decades. And during this time, a time of reflection and unfolding, mindsets that resisted such a positive movement with limiting statements like ‘I turned out OK’ or ‘I’d never confine my child like that’ eventually changed.

They changed not because a supreme deity waved their hand and changed their mind but because while they were offering thoughts and prayers ego gave way to compassion, stubbornness gave way to openness, and hardness gave way to empathy. This process happens slowly but it does happen. Remember, every single action we do is always proceeded by a thought. It may take some time for mindful thought to bloom in some, it nevertheless does. It happens one person at a time just like a jug is filled drop by drop. Right thought, which is always kind, leads to right action, which is always compassionate.

The more ingrained (or codified) a concept, notion, or idea is in a society the larger the jug and the more drops it will take to fill. And so, what often happens is that the ones who desire/crave a quicker change lose patience with those still in contemplation. This often leads to the shutting down of minds on both sides. Instead, patience is required even if during that time suffering is still occurring. Patience is a form of love and wisdom and is necessary to practice.

So, are thoughts and prayers working?

Yes, just not necessarily on the timeline some expect. Which is a different topic for discussion.

Wishing you continued peace and wellbeing,

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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Mindfulness And The Philosophy Of Dana

Dana (Dah - Na) is a Pali word meaning generosity. Dana is the basis of Buddhism especially when we warmly look at the roots of this valuable principle. When we think of generosity, especially in the West, we often think of a financial gift and although it certainly can be, this first or second line of thought is a result of the type of society we live in. So much of what we do daily is based upon some form of commercial transaction. 'If I buy this expensive gift for them then they will get me something expensive in return'. Is that truly a gift of Dana? It's not and certainly represents a disconnect between money and Dana. 

When we look into the true meaning of Dana we see it's much, much more than money. Dana is unrestricted generosity, it is vulnerability, it is love. Let's consider you, your being for a moment. No matter where you are at this very moment, you have a body, you have a mind, you are alive. No matter what your position is on life and creation, you exist and that is a gift whether purposeful endowment or universal chemical mishap, it matters not.

When the Buddha transmitted the Dharma he often talked about generosity. But since Dana doesn't always include money how are we supposed to be 'generous'? 

We may simply start with ourselves. When we live an ethically guided life others cultivate trust in us. They trust our words. They trust our actions. And they trust our decisions. Being trustworthy is a wonderful gift we may give to others.

Presence is another generous gift we may offer. If we choose to have a child we expect to offer them a significant portion of our time. We love them. Nurture them. Bathe them. Feed them. Help them with homework as they enter school, and more. But is there more we may offer? Of course there is. Perhaps at your job they offer volunteer work with various humanitarian organizations. Helping others that you know have no way to help you back is truly generous.

Spiritual friendship is another wonderful gift we may offer. The third jewel of Buddhism is the Sangha. Although originally a Sangha was the monastic community we may lovingly expand that definition to include the community we live in. We support our neighborhood by maintaining our homes and yard if we have one. A well maintained home supports the entire neighborhood by being aesthetically pleasing. We are there for our neighbors in times of celebration, like a birthday party or births, and we are there for them in times of grief like the passing of a loved one. Spiritual friendship develops a well bonded community. 

We follow the Buddhas teachings as well as his example of living a wholesome life, not for any other kamma or merit than to help others. We were gifted our life so that we may help others ease their suffering. For easing some ones suffering makes the world a better place. And when some ones suffering has been eased they are likely to help another. This then becomes a wonderful chain reaction that is propagated through out the world. 

Wishing you continued peace and wellbeing,

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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What I've Learned From Water - And Bruce Lee: A Mindfulness Perspective

The famous martial artist Bruce Lee is often quoted as saying:  

'Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.'

The story goes that one day he was riding in a boat and was very agitated and struck the water with his fist several times. And with each blow the water did not attempt to fight back. Nor did the water did not get angry. It simply moved out of the way. Shortly there after a bird flew by and its reflection was cast upon the water. Bruce then realized that he was a reflection of his own thoughts and emotions.

These were teachings his only formal master taught him but only then did it make sense to him. 

Very often we get in our own way when a challenging circumstance presents itself to us, we resist instead of accepting. When we accept a circumstance, the circumstance is still there but we may examine it more deeply. When we resist a circumstance, the circumstance is still there but we react with fear, ignorance, and anger.

As the bird few over the water, its reflection moved with it. The water did not try to hold onto this reflection or become the bird. It simply let the bird go. Emotions and feelings are much like this birds reflection. They come and they go. 

It's normal to have whatever emotion you're experiencing but like the reflection, don't hold on to them for long. Let them fly in and let them fly out. In other words, experience whatever emotion arises but do not try to hold on for too long. This is non-attachment.

Water doesn't try to get to the highest mountain top but instead always moves towards what is called 'base level', the ocean. All forms of water and reservoirs like lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and rain all eventually return to the ocean. And they do so effortlessly.

So to achieve the balance you seek, accept yourself by going with your nature and not against. Learn to respond and not react. Flow around the obstacle. See the reflection but do not try to always be the reflection for it too is impermanent.

I wish you all peace, ease, and wellbeing.

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.

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Walking A Path Towards Liberation: A Mindfulness Journey

You wake up on a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun is shinning. The sky is a crisp blue. And the temperature outside is already inviting you to be outdoors. You decide it's going to be a splendid day, one that is not to be wasted indoors. After several moments reflecting on how to spend this wonderful day you finally decide on a picnic at a nearby park.

While you shower you go over menu items in which to bring as well as that novel you've been trying to finish. Today will be a perfect day.

You dress.

You collect the food items you decided on and head out to your car.

As you pass by some friendly neighbors who wish you a good morning your heart stops and your stomach tightens as you gaze to where you're sure you parked yesterday. 

Between the lines of your designated parking spot where your car should be is nothing but empty space.

Your car has been stolen.  

How will you get to work? How will you go to the grocery store? How will you do anything?

The upwelling of emotions, anger, despair, fear, anxiety, and uncertainty, begin to overwhelm your sense of placidity.

This is an example of your servitude to an inanimate object. A possession this is uncaring and unfeeling. 

You are not liberated.

So how may we find the liberation we seek? 

Where do we begin to look?

Liberation is not found in a book or written in a document somewhere. Although the path towards liberation may be described in these items, but they too are inanimate objects.

Liberation is achieved from one singular action, or the more appropriate term being 'non-action'. And that is 'letting go'.

Letting go is about learning how to respond instead of react and adjusting our current perspectives into one that is less self-centered.

Consider your stolen car example from above, you initially had the expectation that the car would be there when returned. Although that is a 'reasonable' expectation we know that as mindfulness practitioners that all things are impermanent, including cars in a parking spot. 

Next, after a few brief moments had elapsed we reacted to several strong catastrophizing emotions thus moving into the future with untimely concerns about getting to work and food shopping. Again, these are relevant concerns but we reacted instead of responded. 

And you reacted, and not responded, in such a manor because you are own by a possession. You are not liberated. A car doesn't care who owns it.

Another example of servitude and not liberation could be a work or political decision, regardless of how it personally applies to you. Most often though most decisions have little to no bearing on you but you chose to react instead of respond.  

Holding on to an idea as eternal is servitude and not liberation. Holding on to a concept as eternal is servitude and not liberation. Holding on to a notion as eternal is servitude and not liberation.

When we look at our mindset or daily activities we see them as 'set in stone' or we justify them as us being 'set in our ways'. This too is servitude and not liberation. We hold on to 'our ways' out of comfort mostly and not out of what truly benefits us...learning to let go. 

When we find ourself being resistant to something new (including the prospect of a stolen car) it's because we expect things to be static or stationary. That will never be the long-term dynamic. So learning to let go with mindful awareness and accepting that all things must pass. And then letting them pass when the situation presents itself, regardless of our personal views, with gratitude. 

And it is with gratitude for being in the present moment with what we do have, not what we don't have, is how we walk a path towards liberation. 

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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Developing Healthy And Positive Relationships With Mindfulness

Think about your last or perhaps your current relationship.

Did you look forward to seeing this person? Spending quality time with them?

What is it that you like about them? There may even be qualities that you’re not fond of but you accept, like having an action figure collection.

The first healthy relationship most people experience is with their mothers, fathers, grandparents and perhaps siblings. But this situation doesn't have to be true for everyone, every family is different, but these interactions often lay the foundation for our future relationships.

We see how our parents interact and assume that’s how all families interact. We learn respectful behavior. How to nurture someone in time of sickness or other need. We learn how to trust. We learn love. We learn conflict resolution. And we learn boundaries.

But not every family is warm and nurturing. Sadly, some homes are not so pleasant and this may result in perpetuating suffering in your own relationships in the future.

So how may we learn how to mindfully develop and nurture positive and healthy relationships?

Before we talk about how mindfulness can help, let’s look at some examples of unhealthy relationship traits. Keep in mind that the dynamic isn’t only male on female, but may be female on male, male on male, female on female, or any of the vast array of family relationships that exist.

• A codependent relationship
• A relationship this involves verbal, physical, and sexual violence
• A relationship that involves some form of addiction such as, alcohol, drugs, gambling.
• A relationship that is financially abusive.
• A relationship this is emotionally abusive.

Although there are more examples, a majority of unhealthy relationships will combine one or more of these traits.

We often relate relationships to a journey. A journey along our own individual path as we seek spiritual enlightenment or at the very least a harmonious and wholesome life.

And along this journey we've embarked upon we’d like to have company.

This is normal since people are social beings. And a partner helps us enjoy what we mindfully encounter along the way.

A partner helps us during times of illness. A partner is there to help us celebrate joyful occasions. And a partner helps us see the world with a different perspective which helps us remove preconceived notions.

Preconceived notions and ideas about others, including our partners, takes away from your understanding of who they truly are, an individual being like yourself. And maintaining preconceived notions promotes suffering.

For example maybe we say ‘you aren't the same person any more’. Here we make a prediction about a person, a negative illusion, about some ones expected behavior. You are suffering as a result of this expectation and so is the other person as a result.

Or on the opposite side maybe we have a positive illusion, 'my partner can do no wrong'. Here you are clinging to an idealized version of them which may lead to unrealistic expectations about their behavior. Again, more suffering for the both of you.

Before we may offer space for a partner along our journey we need to be sure we are ready and that we are healthy to do so. Meaning that we are with mindful awareness, opening ourselves to being vulnerable, and accepting another as they walk along their path as well. You are in the here and now, in the present moment.

If you feel you are ready then I offer you some gentle suggestions of what to look for.

• Gentle speaking
• Supportive.
• honest
• Non-violent.
• Not jealous or possessive
• Compassionate towards you, himself, and others
• Empathetic towards you, himself, and others
• And certainly you both love each other.

Mindfulness is a wonderful way to help value and strengthen a relationship both with yourself and others. And so as you continue on your journey, breath in and say ‘as I breathe in I walk in peace’ and as you breathe out say ‘as I breathe out I open myself to the beauty of others’.

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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How To Tell If Your Mindfulness Practice Is Working

How do you know that mindfulness is working for you? Are there signs that come right out and say ‘now that my friend was mindfulness’?

I doubt there is such an obvious signal such as this.

So how may we tell that our practice is working for us?

There are several ways in which I think illustrate the effectives of your practice. The first is how you deal with a crisis.

The Buddha once asked an attendant of his to fetch him some cool water to drink. The dutiful attendant found a creek nearby to fill his vessel. 

However, at the same time an oxcart drove through this creek and muddied the water making it undrinkable. The attendant waited for the mud to settle before filling the drinking vessel.

The attendant related to the Buddha as to why it took him such a loving time to return, and the Buddha replied ‘A disturbed mind is the same as muddy water. With time the mud will settle, and we get clear water. And to get the clear water you didn’t have to do anything and only needed patience’.

In times of stress many people panic. Panic leads to frantic action, disorganized and counterproductive thoughts, stress and anxiety about potential or uncertain outcomes, and often to an even more undesirable outcome. Mindfulness and meditation allow one to foster and develop a sense of balance and calmness allowing one to act with care and attention. It is only when our mind is settled, we have clarity of thought.

At this time, I invite you to reflect upon a past time of crisis or high stress and reflect upon how you handled it. Was it with calmness or was it with agitation?

But what about something that is more of an everyday occurrence, like a relationship?

Often when we’re younger we seek someone that offers us something we ‘think’ we’re needing or lacking. It could be someone with an exciting hair style, a certain personality, or they could be the ‘dangerous or exciting’ person that we know our family with disapprove of. Perhaps we feel we may even be able to ‘fix’ them.

But when we look at ourselves with mindful introspection as we age what do we see? Very often we see (hopefully) harmless youthful mistakes and adventures.

But consider where you are now. Have you left those cravings and desires behind, or have you substituted one for another?

For example, perhaps as a teen you liked the boy with the motorcycle or the one in a garage band. You though he improved your image giving you a rough edge, his friends were completely different than yours, and maybe he was several years older than you.

But now in your thirties or forties you find excitement from someone who works hard spending many hours at the office but is never home to nurture your wellbeing. You find creative ways to entice them but the response is seldom acknowledged in a meaningful way. Are you able to ‘fix’ them?

More likely though we begin to view life with more awareness and don’t seek the excitement of youth. We understand that those times served their purpose but have now passed. With our mindful practice we see more clearly, less muddied water if you will, the value of balance and calmness.

So again, how may we tell of our mindfulness practice is working? It’s working when we realize we have awareness of the present moment and welcoming in whatever we’re experience with balance an calm.

 

I wish you 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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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

Ten Signs Your Wellbeing Is Off Balance - Part 2

Welcome back my friends. 

Have you had the opportunity to consider the first five signs from our last post? What did you think?

Now we'll consider there remaining five signs you're off balance.

You’re short tempered
Short temperedness is a strong sign of imbalance and can find itself in the company of someone with an immature social-emotional level.

Short temperedness lies with someone who expects perfection in time and deed which we know is an impossible standard as well as wanting to control the actions of others. 

Consider ow much of our valuable time do we spend planning every single detail of every event, or being disappointed at someone else behavior. 

To avert the long-term dangers of being short tempered one should, with all sincerity, learn to let go of the idea of perfection and enjoy the feeling of unburdening.

You don’t enjoy alone time
Why are you uncomfortable with yourself? Is it too quiet in your home, and you find this unnerving? This is a sign of an overactive (out of balance) mind that desires the need to continuously have stimuli. A calm lake doesn't need to have waves in order to be happy with itself. Like the body, the mind needs to relax, and you need to be yourself.

You don’t like people   

Humans are social animals and societies have evolved around this organization for safety and community. Saying you ‘don’t’ like people is an overgeneralization. This limiting mindset often originates from either a fear of yourself not belonging to a group or the inability to allow yourself to experience with openness the good people truly have to offer. Both circumstances shield you from wonderful experiences due to you holding unrealistic expectations of others as well as not having an openness towards the beauty of people.

Too much entertainment
This is a form of escapism where one turns to diversionary activities like reading, TV, video games, music to avoid knowing and perhaps dealing with emotions or feelings in an honest way.

Do we all need to take a break at times? Sure, we do and in doing so it allows us to unwind mentally and physically. But escapism in some sense can lead to procrastination towards important tasks.

You’re always on the go
This too is a form of escapism and can be a sign of dissatisfaction at home. Home in this sense isn’t necessarily where you sleep, it’s you and your inner being. Being constantly busy is living in the future and not in the present moment. You are planning your next 'adventure'. The ‘always on the go’ is exhausting and depleting of your energy as you look for the next distraction.  

That concludes our ten signs but remember, this isn't to say that just because you experience one or more of these signs at one time or another you will stay there. As with everything in existence, emotions will arise, exist for a time, and then dissipate.

So when one of these signs does arise, recognize it, sit with it for  time, and then let it go.   

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.