From BYRON – “Some indicators I use to gauge my spiritual progression definitely are all internal. I grew up not learning how to regulate my emotions and learned to be reactive to survive. I now know I’m growing in handling situations as an observer though I still get setbacks at times. Progress not perfection I am aware. …”
What are some of the indicators you use to gauge your own spiritual progress, lately?
The Pleasure Principle – Janet Jackson (4:36)
Buddha’s 14 Principles of Human Life (2:00)
Shingon Buddhist Fire Perfection Ritual – Mount Koya, Japan (22:31)
The Most Beautiful Heart :
One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley.
A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen.
The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.
Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, “Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine.”
The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly… but full of scars. It had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in … but they didn’t fit quite right and there were several jagged edges.
In fact, in some places, there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing. The people starred … how could he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought?
The young man looked at the old man’s heart and saw its state and laughed “You must be joking,” he said,
“Compare your heart with mine… mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”
“Yes,” said the old man, “Yours is perfect looking… but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love….I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them … and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart… but because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared. Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away… and the other person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges… giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too… and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now, do you see what true beauty is?”
The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands.
The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart. It fit…. but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.
The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his. They embraced and walked away side by side.
Physical perfection is not always beautiful. (http://www.english-for-students.com/the-most-beautiful-heart.html)
Some indicators I use to guage my spiritual progression definitely are all internal. I grew up not learning how to regulate my emotions and learned to be reactive to survive. I now know I’m growing in handling situations as an observer though I still get setback at times. Progress not perfection I am aware. Another way is my internal peace, I don’t let things take space in my head and if they do I ask why. I get into action. I am kind to myself as well as again am aware of the narrative in my head
FEATURED POST FROM THE ZONR VAULT – My main gauge is my heart. Its rate and its purity. I feel most spiritually aligned when I feel the flow within me as smooth as a cool, clear brook over well-worn stones. (9/4/18)