Sunday July 23: Sowing Goodness

To Practice

• Create an intention to be kind and compassionate, no matter what. Don’t forget this applies to yourself! Nothing special, nothing heroic. Without judgment, what do you learn?
• The following might be helpful to your practice and self-inquiry: The Buddha taught there were five things to consider before speaking or acting. Is what you’re about to say or do:
  o Factual and true
  o Helpful or beneficial
  o Spoken and done with kindness and goodwill (wishing the best for all involved)
  o Endearing (spoken and done gently, in a way the other person can hear or receive)
  o Timely (occasionally something true, helpful, and kind will not be endearing, or easy for someone to receive, in which case we think carefully about when to offer it
• Your practice may be inspired by this chant, “Let Me Release Love Naturally” (1.52 minutes). Allow it to sink into your heart.
• If any sensations of resistance, resentment, pride or triggered emotions arise, practice the Welcoming Prayer. If you have a history of trauma, a “sandwich” practice is good; welcome the pleasant, welcome the unpleasant, and then welcome the pleasant again. Practice only as long as it brings more ease rather than intensity; many people mistake intensity for healing.

If you wish, you may re-read the full email reflection here: https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/word-of-the-week-july23

“Opportunities abound.”  I play golf in an adaptive cart. Opportunities to practice compassion abound: compassion towards the other golfers, compassion towards the golf ball that cannot seem to find the hole; and – most difficult – compassion towards myself. it is a practice that I can take from the golf course into the every day where opportunities also abound.

Particularly expert editing job on this Word of the Week, Pamela. Thank you

Kind and compassionate acts this week look a lot like mopping floors, scrubbing bathrooms, and caring for the sick. Centering prayer is how I am kind to myself. As a bonus, the world gets joyous energy as well. <3 linda

Much of my  kindness Awareness Examen this week was consoling with moments of joy, delight, connection, curiosity, affirmation, etc. Early in the week words like “clinging, futility, sadness, helplessness” flagged into my awareness. Then Paula D’Arcy’s contemplative observation on “clinging” in Richard Rohr’s mediation today cracked the walnut of  my loving kindness’ experiences. Way back in my growing up years, being kind was expected. It was the way of the ethnic group I belong to survived. Be kind. Work hard. So what is being revealed this week is that my well established “clinging” of my happiness program prevents me from seeing reality as it is. My kindness program is being liberated propelling me into a joy in  the deepest of my inner most being  that is pure gift. Last weekend I order too much Chinese food. So I began knocking on doors in my apartment block. The first was a young Muslim family. So I paused for a chat about their food preparations, which meant they could not accept this food. The next was a middle-aged jolly kind of man who hesitated because he had nothing to give me in return. I kept stressing: “it is free, I just over ordered.” So- kindness is a free gift with a smile!

This week had me feeling like I had nothing (left) to offer, out of synch with the culture/ community I am embedded in , and to boot, my sense of God’s presence disappeared. I kept looking for him , showing up in case *He* came by.
then, I wondered, am I taking God for granted? That I will sense my God on demand?

physical ailments impacting experiencing this week.
if I can’t be at peace (happy) right here, right now, I won’t ever be happy.

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