The Top

You've heard of the Dalai Lama right? I love that name. I mean as if Dalai isn't cool enough, you add Lama after it. It sounds like a musical note..... like something you want to listen to.

So listen to this:

He said that our greatest responsibility is to help others, and that if you cannot help them, at least do not hurt them.

I always thought that sounded so simple.

I don't physically harm anyone, ever.

I don't steal.

I don't tell lies that significantly impact anyone's life.

I don't damage anyone's property.

I don't call names or put people down.

Basically, I don't hurt anybody.

Wrong.

It is not that simple.

Do you ever feel the intense need to defend your own feelings? I do.

Many times you hurt others in vehemently backing your beliefs.

Do you ever take it upon yourself to tell someone what you think he/she needs to know. I do.

Many times you hurt others by assuming they don't know what you know.

Do you ever go after what you think you truly deserve? I do that too.

Many times you hurt others on the path to what you want.

Standing up for our feelings is important, but could it be that our own feelings are not always as critical as someone else's? Maybe we can live with just a few silences.

Could it also be true that we don't ever fully understand what anyone else really knows? Maybe at times we can keep our knowledge to ourselves; knowing that we don't always know.

We do deserve certain things, but so does everyone else. What can you go without because some of your sacrifices are worth less than what another person might gain?

The ways in which we negatively impact others are not often easy to see and even less often intentional. Still, we hurt them. We hurt people.

Would you argue that the Dalai Lama, the leader of the Buddist monks, is wise?

He says don't hurt poeple. Help them.

If you can open your eyes and focus more fully on lifting others up, guess what you will see?

The view from the top!

Jeannette Maloy

joY Yoga