For this Sunday, July 13th, the focus for our meditation
will be on Perception. In a book by Victor Chan about his friendship
with His Holiness the Dalai Lama titled, “The Wisdom of Forgiveness,” he cites
a conversation between the two on the topic of suffering. The Dalai Lama is quoted as saying, “Much of
our unhappiness, our suffering, is caused by discrepancies between our Perceptions and what is real.” Further into their discussion the Dalai Lama
offered the example that former President George W. Bush obviously thought
Saddam Hussein was evil, and Saddam likely thought the same of the United States. Neither was completely correct. Despite my utter abhorrence of Saddam and the
evil he perpetuated against his own people during his reign of terror there no
doubt had to have been even the tiniest kernel of human decency present in
him. If you find this a bit of a stretch
perhaps it is easier if you think of him as a young boy growing up. Surely at some point in his life he must have
been a normal, decent human being. To
paint him with a broad brush of total evil would be as biased as the
unwarranted Perception of the United
States as entirely evil. I will readily
admit we certainly have our flaws as a nation.
There are many facets of our society, our culture, and our government
that do not make me feel particularly proud.
Having worked as a civil servant for most of my life I definitely have
little patience for the overwhelming bureaucracy that often seems to hinder our
ability to accomplish anything. But
despite that, I also have immense pride and satisfaction from knowing all the
good we do as a country. In none of
these instances does a part represent the whole. This week in our prayer and meditation let us
consider the viewpoint of the Dalai Lama and ask whether we are holding onto a Perception about a person or something
in our life that may needlessly be a source of unhappiness for us. Let us ask to be shown how to alter our Perceptions in a way that helps us see
more of the whole rather than a small sliver of what we believe to be the case.
In our efforts this week let us also continue to use the
energy of our prayers and meditation to amplify the light that covers and fills
this nation. As we perform our
meditation this week let us begin by re-energizing the brilliance and power of
the light we create. Just as before,
begin by forming a concentrated ball of light that is so bright it is almost
impossible to look directly at it. Raise
this sphere of light up high over the entire nation and then let its rays
cascade down to create a solid, impenetrable dome of light that completely
covers every inch of our country. From
shore to shore and border to border let the entire continent be filled with
this brilliant, dense light that will serve to magnify the best and highest
qualities of our country and the people who live across its vast lands.
Please follow the same practice as before: Get centered in
your body, ask to bring in your guides and others who are there to assist us,
and connect to the circle of others participating in this project.
Ask yourself how do I feel when I realize a Perception I have held is not helpful
and needs to be updated or corrected?
How does it feel in my body when I change my Perceptions in a way that enable me to see more of the big picture? Then send the energy and intention of those
feelings to the nation.
Be sure to disconnect from the circle at the end and express
thanks for those who have helped us in this effort.
If you have feedback or experiences you would like to share please let me know via e-mail to k_miritello@bellsouth.net or kmiritello@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment