The world needs mercy.
Not just the physical world, but also the internal world of the mind and the heart.
Mercy is more than compassion and forgiveness. These qualities are only the tip of the iceberg and what we observe from merciful people. Below the surface is a whole new presence of being that has power to thaw a frozen heart.
But if I don’t recognise this being within, trying to be compassionate and forgiving can drain me of energy. Then I find myself looking for mercy from a world that is already merciless. A vicious cycle is born.
Before I can help others, I need to be merciful to myself. Raja Yoga meditation helps us to recognise our inner eternal peaceful power. You too can recognise your inner power by following seven simple steps.
1
AWARE. Be aware of your external environment through your sense organs. Just be present in your body and be aware of all the external stimuli through your senses.
2
OBSERVE. Turn your attention to your inner world. Observe your thoughts and your feelings, which are your creations. No need to justify, excuse or interpret. Just observe your inner world and your creations.
3
ACCEPT. Gently accept all you have sensed and observed. It is, and it will also pass.
4
LET GO. Once you accept it all, it is easier to let go. You are not the stimuli, thought or feeling; the former is external, and the latter are your creation. Open up and let them all go.
5
LET FLOW. Disengage and free yourself from the stimuli, thoughts and feelings. Like clouds, watch them all float away.
6
LISTEN. You have now created a space of inner peace and calm. A space to listen to your higher self, your intuitive self. Immerse into this space and silence.
7
CONNECT. Imagine the power and silence within this space being concentrated into a point-form, with you at its centre. Like a potent spark of energy, this point is now shining bright. This is your true form. Hold this form of light for as long as you can.
From here, it takes just one more step to connect with the presence of the Higher Power, the source of pure energy, God.
These steps can help you recognise the self as a sentient being, an awareness of self that is beyond actions, words and thoughts. By practising these steps, you can learn to be more presence-conscious or soul-conscious, rather than action-, time- or even body-conscious. To be soul-conscious is to be present in being.
When we are present in being, our inner peaceful power becomes like a gentle breeze creating a nurturing atmosphere, for us as well as for others. Words need not be spoken. Active listening becomes a means for transformation, and compassion and forgiveness are the rustling leaves observed above the surface.
Let’s practise together, and return to being calm and peaceful.
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