It is said that what we believe in believes in us.
If we lie, we are telling the universe that we believe it is okay to lie. If we steal, we are telling the universe that it is okay to steal. If we injure others, we are telling the universe that injuring others is okay. We give the universe permission to believe in us according to what we believe–and according to how we behave based on those beliefs.
The golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” should not be considered lightly as we construct our patterns of behavior. We may blame destructive behaviors on our condition, our circumstance, our cosmology, or our justifications, but if we search deeply, into the core of our selves, where the heart of our spirit lives, would we consider this truth or lie?
In Sophy Burnham’s thoughtful treatise, A Book of Angels***, she considers beliefs in this way: “. . . until you bow down before this force of the universe, until you are brought right to your knees by pain and despair, you still withhold yourself and your prayer has less effect. And this is why we cannot even determine after a while what’s good, what’s bad. What we thought a blessing has such thorns, we can hardly hold it in our hands, while what we thought was terrible turns out to wear a crown.” (p221).
Indeed, admidst suffering and loss, all things seem conceivable, or true or right. When the heart is hurting, wide open to the pain of human existence–there lies the route to denial and disillusionment–there also lies the route to truth. Examine your truths for truth and your lies for deceit. Is your behavior aligned with your beliefs? Do your behaviors and beliefs serve the highest good?
Sophy also quoted the Scottish Himalayan Expedition leader, W. H. Murry, as explaining it this way: (A Book of Angels, p226) “Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: That the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the discussion, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meeting and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.”
Who do you believe you are? How do you behave? Does your behavior support your beliefs? Are you striving to be the most confident, creative, compassionate, generous, and wise person you are capable of being?
Good thoughts will produce good actions and bad thoughts will produce bad actions. Hatred does not cease by hatred at any time; hatred ceases by love.
~~~~~BUDDHA~~~~
Who could give the message more eloquently than the Buddha?
***Burnham, Sophy, A Book of Angels,
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