Adventure in Kindness
The world needs more kindness now. Yet there is no way to make other people kind. You, however, can choose this moment to become more kind yourself.
You might say, “Hey, I’m not unkind!” That’s very likely true. Most of us are basically kind—at least a never-get-sent-to-the-principle’s-office sort of kind.
But it’s possible to be more kind.
If we are lucky, we’ve had encounters with extraordinarily kind people. I’m thinking of my Aunt Carol, who sings to me every birthday and wraps me in warm care with every phone call. Part of why I’m so dedicated to my qigong teacher Master Chunyi Lin is his kindness.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have more people like that in the world? Do you dare to dream that you – yes, YOU - could become a remarkably kind person?
This isn’t about forcing niceties. Kindnesses grudgingly given or with strings attached never feels good.
If you say yes to kindness right now, you are going to be saying yes to an adventure. It’s going to require you to go deep into the source of kindness and expand your availability to the spontaneous flow of good in the world.
Here’s one more big idea from my guiding qigong teacher: Big Kindness, kindness to all beings all the time, is also the best source of protection for yourself and your loved ones during this very wild year.
The Dalai Lama is famous for saying “My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.”
Indeed, most major spiritual traditions lead people to practicing kindness. While the destination is simple – kindness - it is difficult to get there! That’s why we need spiritual practices.
I invite you to join a community Adventure in Kindness this March. This online class includes wisdom teachings on kindness, embodied meditations based in qigong, poetry, and small group sharing as we explore the themes of kindness to self, planet, and others. Together let’s explore the transformational power of kindness!
Emily Jarrett Hughes
