Love, love, love is not complete without loving yourself. Some of us are poor at loving others and poor at loving ourself. Others can love others but not ourself. Still others can love ourself but not others. To love completely and fully without attachment we must first learn to love ourself without attachment. This means being kind to ourself. This means not putting ourself down, but also not getting puffed up. This means being gentle with ourself when we make mistakes. This means laughing at ourself seeing the humor in our folly, but not belittling ourself. The more we focus on others’ pain with the wish for resolution, the more we cultivate compassion. Remembering that everyone has been our mother countless times brings us closer to others. Recognizing that we are all the same in wanting happiness and not pain, brings us even closer.
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The root of the problem
For those interested in understanding the teachings of the Buddha, to eliminate suffering for oneself and others, this schema presented in the last post is crucial to understand. The root of the problem is a […]
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The 6 perfections
Those of us trying to improve our compassion focus on the 6 perfections to open the heart and reduce attachment to the ego and its possessions. These start with the easiest, generosity. But not so […]
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of the people, by the people, and for the people
4th of July commemorates American independence. Lincoln said it eloquently during the American Civil War in his Gettysburg Address, “… a government of the people, by the people, and for the people….” He was referring […]