In order to live with integrity, we must stop fragmenting and compartmentalizing our lives.
-Sharon Salzberg
The line above is from Sharon Salzberg's Loving- Kindness Meditation that was offered through Tricycle Magazine:
A way to discover intimacy with ourselves and all of life is to live with integrity, basing our lives on a vision of compassionate nonharming. When we dedicate ourselves to actions that do not hurt ourselves or others, our lives become all of a piece, a seamless garment with nothing separate or disconnected in the spiritual reality we discover.
In order to live with integrity, we must stop fragmenting and compartmentalizing our lives. Telling lies at work and then expecting great truths in meditation is nonsensical. Using our sexual energy in a way that harms ourselves or others, and then expecting to know transcendent love in another arena, is mindless.
Every aspect of our lives is connected to every other aspect of our lives. This truth is the basis for an awakened life. When we live with integrity, we further enhance intimacy with ourselves by being able to rejoice, taking active delight in our actions.
Salzberg's theme first appears to call for a reckoning for the greater good, but I look at the fragmenting she speaks of on a personal level. In many ways, we parcel out different areas of our lives as though we're returning silverware to separate compartments in a kitchen drawer. We focus upon disparity, rather than similarity.
We have to learn to have unconditional love for all of the parts of ourselves, to wear that love like a seamless garment. It would mean doing no harm to ourselves in speech, thought and action. That alone could change the world.
-Sharon Salzberg
The line above is from Sharon Salzberg's Loving- Kindness Meditation that was offered through Tricycle Magazine:
A way to discover intimacy with ourselves and all of life is to live with integrity, basing our lives on a vision of compassionate nonharming. When we dedicate ourselves to actions that do not hurt ourselves or others, our lives become all of a piece, a seamless garment with nothing separate or disconnected in the spiritual reality we discover.
In order to live with integrity, we must stop fragmenting and compartmentalizing our lives. Telling lies at work and then expecting great truths in meditation is nonsensical. Using our sexual energy in a way that harms ourselves or others, and then expecting to know transcendent love in another arena, is mindless.
Every aspect of our lives is connected to every other aspect of our lives. This truth is the basis for an awakened life. When we live with integrity, we further enhance intimacy with ourselves by being able to rejoice, taking active delight in our actions.
Salzberg's theme first appears to call for a reckoning for the greater good, but I look at the fragmenting she speaks of on a personal level. In many ways, we parcel out different areas of our lives as though we're returning silverware to separate compartments in a kitchen drawer. We focus upon disparity, rather than similarity.
We have to learn to have unconditional love for all of the parts of ourselves, to wear that love like a seamless garment. It would mean doing no harm to ourselves in speech, thought and action. That alone could change the world.
Sculpture: Zenos Frudakis