Chemistry of Change part eleven

Let us look at the next part of our inquiry into changes in body and mind experienced in spiritual practice. How do perceptions of others help or harm changes while we are feeling in such a fluid and unstabilized condition? We already know that a balanced mind holds the opinions and observations of others in a careful way. That means that we do not become stubborn, inflexible, withdrawn or angry if people tell us what they think and we do not agree with what they are saying. For example, someone might say, “You’ve been meditating and now I think you’re weird.” We do not need to respond by becoming angry, inflexible and attack them in return. Who knows, maybe we did become weird. Maybe they are right!

New attitudes toward others arrive by deliberate training, developing confidence while destroying paranoia and fear. We should not immediately feel that we need to defend our self. This is a hard lesson to learn and practice, especially while in a fluid stage of stabilizing new perceptions and often at a loss for words.

Accomplished meditators do not criticize ANYONE. I say this, because it not only trains our emerging perception, so fresh and new, in how to interact with the world. It also trains the old perceptions to not be afraid and defensive. A defensive posture will clench energy, preventing clear thinking and creating a poor environment. Training our self in non-reactive behavior allows us to remember information of the benefits and drawbacks at the time of difficulty and not hours later. It gives us a calm strength of reasoning so that we can feel comfortable about changing while we are not pushing on the mind, which can have damaging consequences.

The opinions of others do not require us to retaliate, run away or express fear and anger. It also does not help to “stuff” anger or fear. We must become, as much as possible, calm and non-reactive in the face of others criticism. Otherwise, what kind of welcome is that for this delicate new spiritual perception? It should not matter what they say to you (as much as you are capable!)

However, there is a faulty world-view out there, alive and living in the minds of others demanding that you behave in a certain way. Isn’t that so? In spite of the fact that you just might shake up their limited world-view (which includes you as an unchanging element), you will be changing. You do not stop change just because the expectation of another’s world-view includes you not changing.

This world was never created to be perfect, as you probably already suspected. If it was perfect, no one would seek change and no one could ever become transformed. We already know that myriad beings have sought and transformed themselves by changing, and by no other method! If the changes that we are making reflect a change toward, or a return to, the natural and organic process of evolutionary development toward perfection, and we are not fooling ourselves, then the whole world can go suck eggs. This is how the great meditators of the past felt about others perceptions of who and what they should be. We are very happy to live in an accommodating and careful behavior with others, but when all is said and done, we will change. Each person decides for them self, “I will change. I am changing.” To be continued……