Welcome *offering you a hot drink & a choc chip macadamia cookie* to the first of my new Monday messages. 🍪 These are usually just for Going Gently Supporters (paid subscribers) so this one is a sneak preview.
My invitation to you at the start of every week is that you begin again with gentleness. Over time, repeated remembering and soft nudges can lead to new pathways through the forest. May these words bring you insight, consolation, and little sparks of joy. ✨
I am a Buddhist and so, to me, the Buddha symbolises something perfectly loving that I can lean into and take refuge in.
Do I remember this refuge from day to day, when I’m feeling impatient with Ralph our challenging rescue dog, or obsessing about how I’m dealing with a conflict within our community, or when I’m up to my eye-balls in quotes from plumbers and roofers?
No!
I sometimes joke with people that it’s just as well I live in a Buddhist temple, because I am so prone to forgetting the Buddha’s teachings. Everywhere I turn, I’m faced with another Buddha. Whenever I spot a Buddha, whether it’s the expensive Amitabha in my office or the little crudely-carved wooden one perched on a windowsill in the library, it helps me to remember this thing that I lean into.
I see gentleness in a very similar way. I think we all know that it helps when we go gently on ourselves and treat others with gentleness, but how easy is it to actually remember this in the crucible heat of the moment?
If you’re anything like me, then not very easy at all!
This is my inspiration for these weekly messages to you. If I need to surround myself with Buddhas to remember and benefit from refuge, then I will. If you would benefit from a regular reminder at the beginning of your week to orient yourselves towards gentleness, then here it is!
In my experience, when I remember the Buddha, Buddhas are suddenly everywhere. When I remember gentleness, gentleness streams through everything as a blessing golden light.
I’ll usually start with a little story-from-my-life like this one and finish with a question and a suggestion, but I’m not going to make the format too strict because I will rebel against it 😬 (and because I want to be flexible about what I feel I can best offer you from week to week).
I would love to hear how you are in the comments if you feel moved to share. If you’re short on time, just trust that my words will sink in and work away on you in the background. No pressure.
Go gently,
Satya <3
Question: What helps you to remember gentleness? When are you most prone to forgetting it?
Suggestion: Is there an object or a simple ritual you could use to remind yourself of gentleness? Maybe put a sticky note on your computer, or touch your palm to your heart every time you pass through a door?
Love yourself first and everything falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” ~ Lucille Ball
I usually remember my practice *after* I have gotten all bent out of shape. Then it comes to me that there is a better way to handle it. I am most likely to loose my way when something very emotional comes along. I have tried putting visual reminders out, but after a while I stop seeing them. I need to change them up to keep them fresh.
Most mornings I recite to myself a Haudenosainai (Iroquois Indian) thanksgiving prayer which is very beautiful. Before doing so I read a written reminder to summon the Goddess of kindness and compassion (Kanzeon)in my recitation. This is because when giving the thanksgiving I tended to forget to include myself in the thanksgiving so I felt it was important to get into the habit of reminding myself to do this. And it works to develop the habit of kindness to oneself. Although there are times each day when I forget to be kind to myself, repeated practice of summoning Kanzeon reminds me to return to gentleness and kindness.