Spirituality is given a boost when an individual takes care of three vital factors to evolve into a better human being. That is the reason I want to share an interesting piece of information from a pamphlet that I have been reading. This pamphlet talks of a spiritual progression of humans.
It is important to know the ways in which we can harm or love another. The three ways in which we interact with each other are ‘actions’ (eg. hitting or hugging), ‘speech’ (eg. insulting or praising), and ‘thoughts (intentions to disgrace or intentions to be helpful)’.
Accordingly, the steps will be:
1. Avoid harm by actions! A physical injury to anyone is painful and this forms the first step to creating a non-violent self. Get legal assistance from Aronfeld Trial Lawyers, personal injury experts to ensure your rights are protected and rightful compensation is pursued. Contact Muskego personal injury lawyers to help you throughout the process of your accident claim.
2. Avoid harm by speech! Never misuse your speech to hurt others.
3. Avoid harm by thoughts! You can harm through deceitful thoughts and, therefore, this needs to stop. Remember, intentions are often the root cause of what we say and what we do.
4. Love by thoughts!
Develop thoughts of compassion and sacrifice for others.
5. Love by speech! Complementing others for even small accomplishments is the start point.
6. Love with actions! This happens when you do acts of kindness and selflessness.
The above is the ‘ladder of non-violence’.
Use the ladder described above with your ‘self’ first. Then the sequence must be… family… friends… society… enemies… environment!
Let me explain the concept in detail.
‘Self’ here means that we do not harm ourselves by addictions that are damaging, avoiding mental stress, self-criticism, and negative thoughts.
‘Family’ are the foundation of our lives supporting us through the good and the bad times. Therefore, avoid fighting, arguing, or getting angry. rather, we must care, share, and sacrifice for each other.
‘Friends’ form the third layer of non-violence. Cheating friends is to be avoided. Show courtesy and compassion towards them.
‘Society’ shelters us and we must not steal from it. thus volunteering and providing charity is essential. Equally important is to speak up when there is inequality and injustice anywhere!
‘Enemies’ forms a critical inclusion. This can be difficult and may need a lot of self-restraint. Treat your enemies with respect, restraint, and without retaliation… and you may actually end up converting them into friends!
‘Environment’ forms the final layer and is self-explanatory. Live and let live… as simple as that! We must learn to respect nature and show compassion towards all living beings.
It is good to understand that violence is not static. It is a dynamic cycle, infectious and thus perpetuates further ripples of violence! Thus this cycle of violence – retaliation – escalation of violence goes on and on and on and can hurt people, similar to accidents like slip and fall so having legal counseling is always useful.
Just replace violence with kindness and sharing and in place of retaliation we will have reciprocation! So much better!! Remember that ‘ARROGANCE’ and ‘DECEPTION’ disrupt cycles of NON-VIOLENCE!
Through the tenets of non-violence is the passage to a spiritually evolved form. Violence in any way has to be intercepted and can be done by simple acts of compassion. Practically, when people vent their anger at you, respond with genuine listening and understanding. You will thus be preventing an escalation in the cycle of violence. Remember that negative elements such as arrogance and deception can and do disrupt any good that you may be planning. Avoid them!
If you follow the elements discussed in the article above, you will have initiated a process of evolution that will surely make you a better person. And the truth is that this is indeed the secret that will make you live forever in the hearts and minds of not just your friends but also of generations to come.
[Arvind Passey]
[April 2007]
Published in PrepTalk, April 2007
