Day 11 — The Power of Empathy and Understanding Deepok Chopra

Day 11 — The Power of Empathy and Understanding  Today’s meditation is about the power of compassion – of communicating to another soul with an open heart and an open mind. This power of empathy and acceptance is part of the transformative power of love. It is not necessary for us to try to heal or change someone. It is enough that we listen, speak, and act from our open, accepting awareness. This present moment consciousness has clarity, receptivity, and love within it. By being our deepest self, we will naturally feel and understand another person from that same deep level of awareness.

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Our centering thought for today is: I am true to myself when I have an open heart and an open mind.

“You can only understand people if you feel them in yourself.” — John Steinbeck

 

Thought for the Week SBNR, spiritual but not religious. Learn more about the nones and dones this Sunday, who often identify as SBNR. Last Sunday we talked about what it means to be more spiritual than religious. This is based in part on the work of Quaker Pastor Phillip Gully. Here are the first five of ten points that he makes. I'll post the other five next week after we go over the next five this coming Sunday. The original article was entitled "If I were Christian" but I've expanded it to what is spiritual rather than religious. Jesus, the Buddha, etc. are models for living more than objects of worship Affirming people’s potential rather than their limits, sinfulness or wretchedness Reconciliation is more valued than making judgments and moralizing Gracious behavior is valued over right belief Inviting questions is more valued over providing answers. From Rev. Ed, Charleston, Unity, S.C.

From Rev. Ed, Charleston, Unity, S.C.

1. Jesus, the Buddha, etc. are models for living more than objects of worship 

2. Affirming people’s potential rather than their limits, sinfulness or wretchedness 

3. Reconciliation is more valued than making judgments and moralizing 

4. Gracious behavior is valued over right belief

5. Inviting questions is more valued over providing answers.

Day 10 — The Power of BELONGING, Deepok Chopra

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Day 10 — The Power of Belonging Today’s meditation is about exploring the power of belonging. Feeling included is a source of great strength and fortitude. Togetherness is a knowingness that your power is not limited to being a separate, isolated person. However, belonging that is based on superficial similarities will not lead to healthy empowerment in the long run, and can even be stifling and suffocating in the end. In today’s meditation, we learn that when we base our acceptance of others from our acceptance and experience of our true self – pure awareness – then the power of our togetherness helps us to love, to understand, and to thrive. LOG IN TO MEDITATE Our centering thought for today is: When I belong to myself, I belong to the whole human family. “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each

THE PATH TO EMPOWERMENT Day 9 — The Power to Find Real Achievement and Success

Day 9 — The Power to Find Real Achievement and Success  Deepok Chopra Today we explore empowerment as it expresses itself in our work, career, or the major “job” we have in our life (such as raising our children). We have been taught from an early age that the job we have as an adult is a large part of our identity, our self-worth, and our power. But self-worth and power based on external circumstances will forever be dependent upon changing factors outside our control. That is not real self-esteem or true empowerment. In today’s meditation, we learn that when we expand our awareness and live in the present moment, we discover our worth, power, and purpose within. That connection to the power of the universe gives us the strength and guidance to be successful in whatever our current work may be. This is self-worth and empowerment that no one, nor any changing situation, can take from us. LOG IN TO MEDITATE Our centering thought for today is: I am the most successful when I feel my self-worth. “If you must look back, do so forgivingly. If you must look forward, do so prayerfully. However, the wisest thing you can do is to be present in the present. Gratefully.” — Maya Angelou

THE PATH TO EMPOWERMENT Day 8 — The Power to Find Safety and Security

Day 8 — The Power to Find Safety and Security  Deepok Chopra One of the common motivations we all have for becoming empowered is to be strong enough to feel secure and safe wherever we are. We want to have a foundation inside that allows us to be both stable and resilient in the face of life’s challenges and losses. We can never develop an abiding sense of security and strength by defending and fortifying ourselves against the unknown. If we feel weak and insecure, our fear will always remain despite our defenses. In today’s meditation, we learn that only inner security and strength can give us the feeling of real safety and peace we are looking for. That power comes from our silent self we experience when we are living in the moment and when we settle into pure awareness during meditation. LOG IN TO MEDITATE Our centering thought for today is: My sense of security cannot be shaken. “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” — Amit Ray

THE PATH TO EMPOWERMENT Day 7 — The Beauty of Power without Ego

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Day 7 — The Beauty of Power without Ego  We don’t often associate power with the concept of beauty, because we usually connect great power in Nature with great destruction – earthquakes, hurricanes, forest fires – but those are extreme examples of Nature. It is easy to overlook the everyday sort of power such as gravity holding the planets, stars, and galaxies together in beautiful orbital patterns. Every year the magnificent power of Spring brings a tremendous resurgence of growth and rebirth in the plant and animal worlds, silently yet beautifully. In today’s meditation, we look within at the power emerging in our life and recognize the force of our love, compassion, joy, strength, creativity, intelligence, and purpose is truly beautiful because it is connected with the grace and balance of Mother Nature herself.  LOG IN TO MEDITATE Our centering thought for today is: I choose the power of compassion, love, and kindness. “The voice of beauty speaks softly; it creeps only into the most fully awakened souls.” ― Nietzsche

The Path to Empowerment. Day 6, Deepok Chopra

Day 6 — The Secret of Soft Power Today’s meditation is about soft power and how the kindness, respect, curiosity, and love in our heart is a more powerful force of good than the hard power we see around us. Most of us have learned that to be powerful and succeed, we need to use force, intimidation, and dominance. But this hard power is always based on temporary advantages and therefore it hides fear underneath it. Soft power, on the other hand, comes from an ever-present awareness of our Being that supports and connects us all. From this place of understanding, compassion, and receptivity, we can remain in our strength and empowerment while we find common ground and mutually agreeable solutions to life’s conflicts and challenges. LOG IN TO MEDITATE Our centering thought for today is: My strength lies in my Being. “Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.” — St. Francis de Sales