365 Day Challenge-Day 36 For All Generations
We have to live in a way that liberates the ancestors and future generations who are inside of us. Joy, peace, freedom, and harmony are not individual matters. If we do not liberate our ancestors, we will be in bondage all our life, and we will transmit that to our children and grandchildren. Now is the time to do it. To liberate them means to liberate ourselves. This is the teaching of interbeing. As long as the ancestors in us are still suffering, we cannot really be happy. If we take one step mindfully, freely, happily touching the earth, we do it for all previous and future generations. They all arrive with us at the same moment, and all of us find peace at the same time. Your True Home, Thich Nhat Hanh
Timing is everything! Once again I find myself in the position of having originally looked at this passage only to dismiss it, if I am to be blunt. Not like it doesn’t apply to me; rather what does it mean, what do I do with this today? This weekend came the moment when I realized what this lesson means to me.
Let me just say with full disclosure that I consider myself very open-minded and willing to try new things, new ways of being. For heaven’s sake, I teach other professionals to access their creative superpowers which is all about thinking outside of the box! Again in the spirit of full disclosure, I found myself relying on some very old thinking, and it is no surprise when I tell you it was not my best thinking.
The good news- I caught myself and challenged my reptilian brain to consider a different way of thinking based on the current situation, not an old story. Upon reflection I will venture to say that this is critical piece of moving outside of old thinking: To allow the current situation to inform your thinking, along with permission to course correct based on new information. The only historic perspective that is relevant would be an evaluation of past demonstrated results, and to be clear the demonstrated results are very different from old feelings.
Liberating yourself from old thinking is a way of honoring your ancestors and the generations to come. Giving yourself permission to access situations based on present day information AND make changes as needed is a way to create more peace and joy in your daily life both personal and professional. Habit, fear, stress-these are all things that keep us entrenched in our old ways. There is a measure of comfort in our regular way of doing things. Growth and change is not always comfortable because with it comes the unknown.
What if we committed ourselves to one action a day to create more peace in our lives?
In gratitude,
Kristan