I had commitments after the last couple of group meditation lessons, so I neglected to make blog entries. To those of you that follow it, my apologies.
For the last few days I've been looking @ readings and reflecting on what to ad to this blog. My mind keeps returning to something Yogananda wrote about gossip. I feel strongly that I should post it here. This is a problem that I feel we all have...and life would be so much easier, sweeter and more joy-filled without it.
Shanti,
S.
"Your individual happiness depends to a large extent upon protecting yourself and your family from the evil results of gossiping. See no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil, think no evil, feel no evil. Most people can talk about other people for hours and thrive under the influence of gossip, like the temporary influence of intoxicating, poisonous wine. Isn't it strange that people can smoothly, joyously, and with caustic criticism talk about the faults of others for hours, but cannot endure reference to their own faults at all?
The next time you are tempted to talk about the moral and mental wickedness of other people, immediately begin to talk loudly about your own mental and moral wickedness for just five minutes and see how you like it. If you do not like to talk about your own faults, if it hurts you to do so, you certainly should feel more hurt when saying unkind and harmful things about other people. Train yourself, and each member of your family, to refrain from talking about others.
By giving publicity to a person's weakness, you do not help him. Instead, you either make him wrathful or discouraged, and you shame him, perhaps forever, so that he gives up trying to be good. When you take away the sense of dignity from a person by openly maligning him, you make him desperate.
When a man is down, he is too well aware of his own wickedness. By destructive criticism, you push him still further down the mire of despondency into which he is already sinking. Instead of gossiping about him, you should pull him out with loving, encouraging words. Only when aid is asked should spiritual and moral help be offered. To your own children or loved ones, you may offer your friendly, humble suggestions at any time and remove their sense of secrecy or delicacy.
'Judge not that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with that measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.' (Mathew 7:1-2)There is plenty of dirt to remove from your own mental home. Do not indulge in evil talk about the mental dirt in the lives of other people, but get busy and free your own life from weaknesses. Silently heal yourself of the desire to criticize, and when free from condemnation and gossip yourself, teach others to be better by your sympathetic heart and good example."
~ Paramhansa Yogananda
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