Try this. Not really as an exercise in doing good, but as an exercise in awareness -- which our school is all about -- being aware. When you find yourself complaining (in your mind) about a situation you are in, a place you are, anything at all -- ask yourself, how can I improve this? Can I say something kind? Can I just keep my mouth shut? (sometimes that is the kindest thing :) Can I do some actual physical work to make things better? So -- basically the question is: Can I leave the place or situation better than I found it?
I tried this today. I was in a public restroom and when I walked in I saw someone had thrown a pile of paper towels on the floor. Thoughts went through my head, like --
This looks terrible! I should tell someone in charge who can pick these up!! Then I thought,
why don't I just pick them up and throw them away myself? And so I did. It took me a couple of minutes. And I felt good. I still feel good thinking about it.
When we Do good, we FEEL good. That's another cosmic law. So -- try it. You'll be glad you did!
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| Rainbow Light |
I tried this. I was waiting at the gas station to put gas in my car and there was a car ahead of me. That person was in the gas station, I guess paying or something. I was fuming, feeling impatient. Then I noticed that the car's windows were dirty, so I decided to 'do good' and clean them! By the time I was done, the other person had come out, and I was back at my car. She was looking with astonishment at her car, and I never said a word.
ReplyDeleteSo I used my time for good, got a little exercise, and all my impatience went away.
Thanks for the idea, Indira. I will use it often. And come back to share more of my experiences. Oh--and it DID make me more aware!
Hi Kevin,
ReplyDeletethat put a wide smile on my face! Such a nice treat.
So, sharing was another do-good.
Have a (do-good-feel-) good day, all of you!
Petra
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this, Petra. Okay, so you know what? It was perfect you posted here, because I forgot COMPLETELY about this experience, I forgot COMPLETELY about practicing "do good, feel good" as an exercise in awareness. I even forgot I posted this. Was I posting it in my sleep!
This shows me how unaware and asleep I am. Some part of myself makes a promise, the other parts are not listening, and it is soon forgotten. This is how ego creeps in takes over. And that is creepy!
So thanks for the reminder of how unconscious I am -- and of how awake I think I am. Like you were talking about in another post, "Realize you are asleep". I am asleep thinking I am awake.