"Namaste" - Changing The Way I Look At Others

I have judged people harshly for their actions over the years.

I think back to an employer that I felt treated me unfairly and I despised him on every level. But that was many years ago, and those strong feelings faded with time, and with better working experiences.

There was a person who stole my husband's identity and caused a lot of problems for us. He was eventually caught and put in jail, and I couldn't help but see red when I thought of the harm he caused.

A family member once said some extremely cruel things when my uncle died of cancer. I was hurt and held a grudge against her for such lack of sensitivity.

One of my friends revealed his infidelity in his marriage, and I distanced myself from the relationship.

I moved to a different city and made little effort to keep in touch with all but a small group of my old friends. This week I learned that one of those lost friends had passed away, and I regretted not staying in touch.

I thought of all of these things today as I opened one of Wayne Dyer's books called Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life. In the 49th verse of the Tao Te Ching, Lao-tzu says:

The sage has no fixed mind;
he is aware of the needs of others.

Those who are good he treats with goodness.
Those who are bad he also treats with goodness
because the nature of his being is good.

He is kind to the kind.
He is also kind to the unkind
because the nature of his being is kindness.

He is faithful to the faithful;
he is also faithful to the unfaithful.
The sage lives in harmony with all below heaven.
He sees everything as his own self;
he loves everyone as his own child.

All people are drawn to him
He behaves like a little child.

These judgments of others are lessons to remind me that I have self-judgments that I reflect on to others. It has created a "fixed mind" that has caused me to see others as something outside of myself.

My goal is to become more flexible and more open, removing judgment from my heart.

Wayne Dyer offers up the following affirmation to help with our personal journeys in this area:

I see myself in this person, and I choose to be in a place of goodness rather than judgment.

He also suggests using the Sanscrit greeting "Namaste", which roughly translates to: "I honor the place in you where we are all one." So silently or verbally begin telling others "Namaste" in order to remind ourselves to love everyone as your own children.

Dene Brock
Source of Good Stuff - Your Source of Inspiration, Motivation and Well-Being