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1 |
Practice Non-Violence
(physical,
mental and verbal) within yourself and your own life. |
To be truly non-violent,
it is necessary to cultivate the spirit of non-judgment and forgiveness.
Non-violence requires a continual refinement and awareness of your own inner
process. It requires the reduction and eventual elimination of judgment,
criticisms, and projections onto others. True non-violence is the
development of a positive dynamic quality of universal
love
and not a mere attitude of negative harm to others. |
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2 |
Express Truthfulness
by
aligning thoughts, words and actions. |
Being truthful has many
facets including following through with our commitments, not saying one
thing and doing another. It is also not saying one thing to one person and
making a contradictory statement to another. It is also not saying another.
Truthfulness constructs rather than destroys; it is not a state of angrily
hurling our opinions or judgments to others, thinking them to be fact. It is
taking responsibility for our own judgments of others by looking to the
source of our projections within our own selves. It is the direct expression
to another, free of the anger that arises out of our own unfilled
expectations and desires. Truthfulness is the gift of non-criticism. It
expresses the thoughts and words that heal rather than wound the hearts of
others. There is great power in truthfulness. When truthfulness is
achieved, your words will acquire the power of fruition and manifestation. |
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3 |
Develop Non-Covetousness (Non Envy) |
When we give up "wanting"
many things will be given onto us and manifest in a variety of unexpected
ways. Non-covetousness creates a feeling of unattachment. We only want or
"covet" what we feel we lack, whether it is material possessions or
qualities we admire in others. If we envy the possessions and qualities of
others that we feel we lack within ourselves, it can create territorialness,
competition, envy and, in turn, the "downplaying" of others in order to
boast our low self esteem. When we are fulfilled within ourselves there is
no need to compete, criticize, or gossip about others to make ourselves feel
superior. When there is no envy or wanting what others have (possessions or
qualities) we can delight in their joys and successes as we would our own.
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4 |
Assume
an Attitude of Non-Possessiveness
–
(physical and emotional) avoiding over accumulation of possessions that
causes us to protect and defend. |
This mainly refers to our
emotional
storehouse of memories of anger, resentment, projections and aggressive
thoughts towards others. As we develop a feeling of giving in all areas of
our lives, it contributes to a sense of
trust and non-defensiveness. When we are bound by the ordinary desire of
a variety of needs for security, the walls we build to keep something in
also are the walls that keep something out. We become possessed by our own
need for security which can also take the form of attachment to personal,
ideological, socio-political, religious and spiritual beliefs. When desire
to possess and accumulate is absent, we seek nothing for our separated and
individual self. Non-possessiveness is a stage where we find that "more is
not always better", and that "if only things could be different", then we
would be happy. It is the realization that little is required for a
loving
and true experience of
happiness. |
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5 |
Regulate the Senses
avoiding
physical and emotional self-indulgence. |
Sensual regulation is not
repression of sensual needs for gratification but sublimation of our desires
into the sacred act of giving of oneself. For instance, it is meeting one's
sexual partner as a manifestation of the divine. It is moving from
self-gratification to understanding the roots of the needs of the human
soul. Regulating the senses is not just of food, drink or the sexual drive,
it also includes self pity. When our eyes are filled with our own tears,
they cannot see the suffering of others. When we indulge in our own
emotional pains, we cannot extend our hands to another. Self pity is the
mirror of our ego turned in on ourselves. It creates separation rather than
unification. When we are absorbed with our little self, we cannot serve the
greater whole. |
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6 |
Purify
Motives |
As we release the motive
for power,
success
and recognition, we learn to take up each action for the sake of the action
alone, letting go of the need or attachment to a particular outcome. In
conflict resolution, it is extremely important to do everything possible to
bring about healing of the situation and then let go of a desired outcome.
Our mission is to be a spontaneous channel for the outpouring of
love with no self
reference or need for self-recognition. Purifying our motives require a
constant watching of all desires and hidden agendas that cross our mental
horizons. It is endeavoring to take an action while at the same time,
letting go of our desire for a specific result. Pride may be the outcome
where there is desire for achievement or an attachment for the results of
our actions. Pride breeds separation and is a hindrance to our sense of
oneness with all humanity.
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7 |
Cultivate Contentment and Serenity
to develop
the spirit of non-attachment as the witness or onlooker who sees all people
and happenings through the light of universal love. |
Contentment is not a state
of repression but a state of serenity that transforms the negative into the
positive
recognizing that every thought we have is contagious and the time is coming
when every thought will become public property. Therefore, our inner
contentment radiates and creates an atmosphere of serenity and peace.
Contentment and serenity is the deep calm devoid of emotional disturbances.
Contentment is "seamless" where we are the in all life's situations of
conflict, but we can help
heal
conflict situations by contributing our own calmness, serenity, peace of
mind and compassion. Contentment and Serenity are the way of the "Peaceful
Warrior". |
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8 |
Develop Equanimity
in all
situations. |
Do not try to get rid of
life's difficulties, but be thankful that they are there to smooth the
ragged edges of the personality and to teach
greater compassion
for others. Find a point of peace within you in the midst of any or all
conditions of
life.
Achieve equanimity both in praise and blame,
success or
failure
where public opinion has no hold over your mind or
emotions. |
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9 |
Study
the Lives & Writings of Inspirational Role Models |
We become inspired by the
lives of historical figures living and non-living, who have incorporated the
principles of non-violence, love, compassion and forgiveness into their
daily lives. Contemplate their lives and remember them during life's
difficulties and the "dark nights of the soul". Hold the remembrance of
those who have shed light on the darkened corners of mind and heart in
life's most difficult hours.
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10 |
Remember God or "Higher Self"
in all
life's actions and interactions. |
Whatever
your
beliefs and non-beliefs, when confronting conflict situations within
your life or within the lives of others, it is very important to develop
growing sensitivity to hearing the inner voice that leads to the defenseless
endeavor to dwell in the
Higher Self. Holding the
"remembrance" is the perfect steadiness of inner poise which holds to the
vision yet does the outer work on the physical plane. It is doing the work
of the world with one hand while holding the remembrance of God or the
Higher Self with the other. |
