We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential.
~Ellen Goodman
~Ellen Goodman
It often happens as I sit down to write this part of my weekly newsletter. I start off with either a quote, a picture or a theme and as I search for meaningful links or explanations I change the entire article. It just happened again. I erased hours of thought in less than a minute because my legs needed stretching, I walked over to my bookshelf, pulled out A Path With Heart by Jack Kornfield and found the following story:
There's a famous Hindu story of two kingdoms that were each being governed in the name of Krishna. Looking down from heaven, Lord Krishna decided to visit them and see what was being done in his name. So he went and appeared before the court of one king. This king was known to be wicked, cruel, miserly, and jealous. Lord Krishna appeared in his court in a blaze of celestial light. The king bowed to him and said, "Lord Krishna, you've come to visit." Krishna said, "Yes. I wish to give you a task. I would like you to travel throughout the provinces of your kingdom and see if you can find one person who is truly good." This king went out through all of his provinces. He talked to high castes and low castes, to priests and farmers, to artisans and healers. Finally he came back to his throne room and waited for Lord Krishna to reappear. When Lord Krishna arrived, he bowed down and said, "My Lord, I've done your bidding. I've gone from low to high throughout my kingdom, but I have not found one truly good person. Though some of them performed many good deeds, when I got to know each person, even their best actions ended up being selfish, self-interested, conniving, or deluded. Not a single good person could I find."
Then Lord Krishna went to the other court ruled by a famous queen named Dhammaraja. This queen was known to be kind, gracious, loving and generous. Here again Lord Krishna set her to task. "I would like you to go throughout your kingdom and find one truly evil person for me." So Queen Dhammaraja went through her provinces speaking to low castes and high castes, farmers, carpenters, nurses, and priests. After a long search she returned to her court, whereupon Lord Krishna reappeared. She bowed and said, "My Lord, I have done as you asked, but I have failed my task. I have gone throughout the land, and I've seen many people who act unskillfully, who are misguided, and act in ways that create suffering. Yet when I really listened, not one truly evil person could I find, only those who are misguided. Their actions always came from fear, delusion, and misunderstanding."
In both kingdoms the circumstances of life were governed by the spirit of the rulers, and what they encountered was a reflection of their heart. As we pay attention and understand our own heart and grow in the skillful responses of wisdom and compassion, we do our part to make the whole of earth peaceful...
In the long run we possess nothing on this earth, not even our own body. But through our intentions we can shape or direct the patterns of our heart and mind. We can plant seeds in our heart that will create the kind of kingdom the world will be, whether it be wicked and evil or good and compassionate. Through simple awareness of our intention from moment to moment, we can plant a splendid garden, we can create patterns of well- being and happiness that last far beyond our personalities and our limited life.
There's a famous Hindu story of two kingdoms that were each being governed in the name of Krishna. Looking down from heaven, Lord Krishna decided to visit them and see what was being done in his name. So he went and appeared before the court of one king. This king was known to be wicked, cruel, miserly, and jealous. Lord Krishna appeared in his court in a blaze of celestial light. The king bowed to him and said, "Lord Krishna, you've come to visit." Krishna said, "Yes. I wish to give you a task. I would like you to travel throughout the provinces of your kingdom and see if you can find one person who is truly good." This king went out through all of his provinces. He talked to high castes and low castes, to priests and farmers, to artisans and healers. Finally he came back to his throne room and waited for Lord Krishna to reappear. When Lord Krishna arrived, he bowed down and said, "My Lord, I've done your bidding. I've gone from low to high throughout my kingdom, but I have not found one truly good person. Though some of them performed many good deeds, when I got to know each person, even their best actions ended up being selfish, self-interested, conniving, or deluded. Not a single good person could I find."
Then Lord Krishna went to the other court ruled by a famous queen named Dhammaraja. This queen was known to be kind, gracious, loving and generous. Here again Lord Krishna set her to task. "I would like you to go throughout your kingdom and find one truly evil person for me." So Queen Dhammaraja went through her provinces speaking to low castes and high castes, farmers, carpenters, nurses, and priests. After a long search she returned to her court, whereupon Lord Krishna reappeared. She bowed and said, "My Lord, I have done as you asked, but I have failed my task. I have gone throughout the land, and I've seen many people who act unskillfully, who are misguided, and act in ways that create suffering. Yet when I really listened, not one truly evil person could I find, only those who are misguided. Their actions always came from fear, delusion, and misunderstanding."
In both kingdoms the circumstances of life were governed by the spirit of the rulers, and what they encountered was a reflection of their heart. As we pay attention and understand our own heart and grow in the skillful responses of wisdom and compassion, we do our part to make the whole of earth peaceful...
In the long run we possess nothing on this earth, not even our own body. But through our intentions we can shape or direct the patterns of our heart and mind. We can plant seeds in our heart that will create the kind of kingdom the world will be, whether it be wicked and evil or good and compassionate. Through simple awareness of our intention from moment to moment, we can plant a splendid garden, we can create patterns of well- being and happiness that last far beyond our personalities and our limited life.
Cellular biologists and ancient religions concur: transforming the patterns of our lives is a function of our hearts, the intention that we bring creates the pattern that results. What happened in your kingdom last year? What's in store for it in 2007?
Photo:by Heather Shaw