Day 15: February 13
The thought for today is REVERENCE.
Ahimsa is a spiritual belief that Life is sacred and we should do everything we can to avoid violence toward other living things. There is One Life; violence against any life form is violence against the Sacred Presence. Ahimsa is rooted in unconditional Love, deep respect, and reverence for all beings. This principle was the basis for Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence. Indeed, how can you cause harm to something you honor and revere?
“The moment I have realized God sitting in the temple of every human body, the more I stand in reverence for every human being and see God in him – that moment I am free from bondage; everything that binds vanishes and I am free.” ~ Swami Vivekananda
It’s easy to see God in people you already love and with whom you are of like mind; but can you see God in those who antagonize you? How about someone who looks down on you or treats you badly? Can you feel reverence for those who have different political, cultural, or social views than you do? That’s more of a challenge. What of the criminal? Is that impossible for you? Let go of judgment. With God, all things are possible.
Do you remember the parable of the “good Samaritan” told by Jesus? After being passed by and left for dead by ‘religious’ people whom one would have thought would be more compassionate, the beaten man – a Jew – is gently cared for by a Samaritan. This is significant because there was a deep rift between the Jews and Samaritans. The Jews had rejected the Samaritans as outcasts and something less than human. Yet despite this, the Samaritan was able to show reverence for and see the Sacred in this Jew and show Love. This is the path to Peace.
I show reverence and deep respect for all, especially those I find challenging. I live the spirit of Namaste’ – the Divine in me recognizes and honors the Divine in others. I will learn more about ahimsa and incorporate it into my life.
breathe Peace ~
Rev. Rebecca
As a special gift from the Association for Global New Thought in celebration of the Season of Nonviolence, please accept this Living Peace Mandala as another way of participating in the Season. Instructions for its use are located below the mandala. Create a shortcut for your desktop so you can access it easily. And please don’t forget to come back every day to http://revrebecca.com/wordpress/ for more inspiration and daily action that you can take to move you and your world in the direction of Peace.
