Brotherly Love
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Blog Post #54
“Imagine what your inner landscape would look like if you took the time to cultivate the four wholesome emotions of Loving-Kindness, Compassion, Appreciative Joy and Equanimity. Picture yourself abiding in the garden of Loving-Kindness, resting on a bed of Compassion, standing in an arbor of Appreciative Joy, and gazing into a still lake of Equanimity. These qualities create excellent conditions for spiritual growth.”
—Cheryl Wilfong, The Meditative Gardener: Cultivating Mindfulness of Body,
Feelings and Mind; Heart Path Press, 2010
The Universality of the golden rule
Christianity
“Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”
(Matthew 7:12)
“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this;
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
(Galatians 5:14)
Hinduism
“This is the sum of duty: Do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you.”
(Mahabharata 5:1517)
Buddhism
“Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.”
(Udana-Varga 5:18)
Islam
“No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother
that which he desires for himself.”
(Sunnab)
Judaism
“What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. This is the whole Torah;
all the rest is commentary. Go and learn it.”
(Talmud, Shabbat 31a)
Sikhism
“Don’t create enmity with anyone as God is within everyone.”
(Guru Arjan Devji 259, Guru Granth Sahib)
Jainism
“In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all
creatures as we regard our own self.”
(Lord Mahavir, 24th Tirthankara)
Confucianism
“Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself.“
(Analects XV.24)
Taoism
“Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain; and regard your
neighbor’s loss as your own loss.”
(Tai Shang Kan Ying P’ien)
Shintoism
“Be charitable to all beings, love is the representation of God.”
(KO-JI-KI Hachiman Kasuga)
Native Spiritual Traditions
“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.”
(Chief Seattle)
Peace Affirming Prayer
Peace fills my mind and flows through all my thoughts.
Peace fills my heart and flows through all my love.
Peace fills my soul and goodwill flows to all.
Peace fills my being and permeates all my activities.
Peace within. Peace without. Peace everywhere.
Peace in my mind. Peace in my heart. Peace in my soul.
Peace in me. Peace in my home. Peace in my country. Peace in my world.
Peace everywhere.
Amen.
Ukrainian folklore characterizes pysanky as a symbolic, talismanic writing that invokes a higher Universal Power for help, while believing with faithful certainty that It will. The contemporary version of this characterization is a paper-and-pen journaling practice called prayer writing that develops a personal relationship with God.
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