Unto Thyself Be Kind

There is a lot of emphasis on being kind - - how virtuous it is, how necessary, but lately I have been wondering if the reason being kind to others isn't as commonplace as it really should be is because we are not kind to ourselves.

I have an inkling that this is the result to thousands of years of guilt being stuffed down our throats - how can you be kind to yourself if you are the root and cause, the essence of evil, if you so will?

But we are not evil, we are beings of light. We come from Light, and we return to Light. Is it possible that it would be ok to let go of that sense of guilt long enough to be NICE to ourselves, I mean to be really KIND to ourselves??

The mirror effect works in every way - it is not restricted to what you do to others but also include what you do to yourself. If you are unkind to yourself and you treat yourself disrespectfully, how can it be possible for others to treat you kindly and respectfully? Maybe spreading kindness needs to happen from all angles. Not only do we need to be kind to others; maybe all of us need to start treating ourselves with kindness so we can expect kindness from others as well.

Kindness changes the world. Kindness requires that we go beyond ourselves and recognize the depth of another being - their inherent value, their beauty, their strength, their weakness, their love, their dignity and their right to live without suffering. Kindness requires that we let go of that unsettling thought that there is something wrong with us. Kindness requires that we connect from the position of knowing that the other person is simply a reflection of who we are and this consciousness changes the world.

So here is my New Year's wish for all: that we treat every other being with the degree of kindness we would expect ourselves and that we treat ourselves with the degree of kindness we would want for every human and every being.

With blessings and love
- Darshan






© 2010-2011 Darshan F Jessop