For this Sunday, November 17th, the focus
for our meditation will be on Kindness.
Did you know Fred Rogers (aka Mister Rogers) was sickly and overweight
as a child and as a result regularly bullied?
He could have taken the path of becoming a bully himself by justifying
his childhood experience as having steered him in that direction. Instead, he went on to epitomize genuine Kindness. I read a book not too long ago about a man’s
quest to find and confront his childhood bully.
The book was immensely unsatisfying as was the author’s eventual
encounter with the bully who not only didn’t remember him at all but had turned
out to be quite a decent individual. It’s
easy to be Kind to those we love but an entirely different matter when
confronted with people we don’t like or may despise. I suspect Fred Rogers was capable of being Kind
even to bullies, for he probably realized their behavior was driven by
self-loathing. Last week I spoke about self-acceptance
as the gateway to accepting others, but this week the role is reversed. For those who do not yet know how to be Kind
perhaps it takes someone else extending Kindness to them for that person
to learn how to be Kind in turn.
Our world is so incredibly divided right now, and current events seem to
only be polarizing us more and more. The
issues capturing our attention seem to draw out the most visceral of reactions with
an emotional intensity they really don’t deserve. To help bring more balance and grounding to
our world let us ask to be gently guided how to show greater Kindness to
those around us especially people from whom we feel separated because of
differences. May the light and energy of
our prayers spread a rippling wave of Kindness that draws all into its
fold and calm the flames of divisiveness that threaten to tear us apart.
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 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 what do I feel in my body when I am able to
overlook my differences with others and show them genuine Kindness?
How does it feel in my body when others have shown me Kindness I may
have initially felt I didn’t deserve? 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 kmiritello@gmail.com
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