The Gift of Harmlessness

These are not the easiest of times in which to be alive as we observe our ‘better angels’ and ‘demons’ engaged in a tense and drawn-out struggle for dominance – both striving to gain the upper hand and assume governance of our lives.  Our current civilization does not always bear the hallmarks of a civilized society.

Are we witnessing the tell-tale signs of a society in decline with an apparent erosion of ethical principles and moral standards, the relentless persecution of one group by another, and a downward spiral trending towards lawlessness and the normalization of uncivil behavior and hate-filled speech? Or, is this simply a temporary malaise clouding the skies and blocking out the light of the Spiritual Sun before a new dawn and a more refined way of living together in harmony emerges? Both realities are alive and present and the choice is ours as to which of these scenarios will prevail. Our shared task as fellow pilgrims on the Path, is to choose a future that works for all.

Each day thousands of people at 5:00 PM in their respective time zones around the world sound this affirmation – creating a rolling wave of positive energy to strengthen their inner link with the Source of Life and weave closer connections among the global network of those who seek to serve the Common Good.

May the Power of the One Life

Pour through the group of all true servers

May the Love of the One Soul

Characterize the lives of all who seek to aid the Great Ones

May I play my part in the One Work through

Self-forgetfulness, harmlessness and right speech.

‘The Great Ones’ referred to above are residents of the Fifth Kingdom – the Realm of the Soul. There is a magnificent spectrum expressing the Great Mystery of Life that stretches from the dense physical plane all the way to the highest fiery frequencies of Divinity to which we give the name kingdoms or realms. Humanity constitutes the Fourth Realm and middle color band on Earth of this Spiritual Rainbow.

Inhabitants of this Fifth Kingdom have been known by various names throughout the Ages: the Communion of Saints, the Spiritual Hierarchy and The Masters of Wisdom. I relate to this particular sphere of consciousness as, ‘the land of post-graduate humans’ because its members have mastered the human classroom and cleared away all blockages and distortions present in the personality enabling the Light of the Soul – the Inner Sun – to radiate its blessings. These ‘Masters’ earned their degree by successfully traveling the same challenging paths that we presently find ourselves on. As graduates of the School of Life, they now embody the wisdom we are seeking and, thankfully, are freely available to us as guides, mentors and creative partners upon request.

The final line in the mantrum declares: “May we play our part in the One Work through self-forgetfulness, harmlessness and right speech”.

Practicing and perfecting these three qualities during the course of a lifetime would produce huge advances in the expansion of human consciousness and the building of a New Civilization. For us as a species to eventually make the momentous and destined crossing of the bridge from the Fourth and into the Fifth Realm, self-forgetfulness, harmlessness and right speech are prerequisites.

Self-forgetfulness is a state of awareness in which we know ourselves to be part of a greater Identity and Reality and where the illusion of separation has been dissolved. We do not lose our personal identity – we gain a greater sense of Self as we become more inclusive and group conscious.

Harmlessness is a state of being that allows the intrinsic goodness of the human Spirit to flow through and from us as our benevolent contribution to Life. It is the spreading of love in every moment to everyone and everything.

Right Speech is the sounding forth of a ‘formulated intent’ into the ethers that is a life- affirming pronouncement that, through the power of its refined vibrations, stimulates and promotes the full flowering of the human spirit.

Is there wrong speech? There is non-constructive and unhelpful speech and probably the clearest example of this would be hateful and critical language. Unfortunately, we are witnessing a proliferation of unhelpful and unkind speech and criticism appear to be the lingua franca of ‘Social Media’ – that growing band of instant communication enveloping the Earth and permeating society fueled by our need to know and comment.

It is one thing to give honest and open feedback on things we feel are important when ethical lines have been crossed but how do we prevent this necessary reflective process from degenerating into a harmful and destructive war of words through criticism? And why is criticism so corrosive?

Roberto Assagioli (the Founder of Psychosynthesis and the inspiration behind Meditation Mount and other Creative Meditation centers around the world) put it in these simple terms:

“Everyone must come to realize that criticism, disparagement, pessimism and forecasts of failure are nothing less than poisons, whereas loving understanding, appreciation, encouragement and a healthy optimism are life-giving: they summon dormant energies and can lead to a wonderful inner blossoming and to precious works.”

The Agni Yoga teachings offer this perspective:

“It is also possible that by criticism one may retard the evolution of those beings, some of whom may be at the point of overcoming their unrighteousness. It is cruel to surround them with vibrations like the barking of dogs.

In addition, people are unable to judge the motives for another’s actions, and unjust criticism will only burden his karma.

People judge in ignorance, and thus deprive themselves of joy, and loss of joy is a great misfortune. The Thinker took the idea of care for the Subtle World from Anaxagoras, who said that in tearing its fine texture, we also tear our own garment.”

Supermundane – The Inner Life – Book 1, Sloka 187

And the Tibetan teacher Master DK further explains:

“It will be obvious to you that the first and most important of these difficulties will be those arising from group criticism, either voiced or strongly felt. This criticism can be based on many things, but is usually rooted in jealousy, thwarted ambition, or pride of individual intellect……

It should here be remembered that criticism is a virulent poison. It damages in every case eventually the one who criticizes—owing to the fact of voiced direction—it hurts still more the one who is criticized.

Where there is purity of motive, true love and a large measure of detachment, the subtler bodies of the one who is under attack may remain immune but the physical effects will be definite and where there is any physical weakness or limitation there will be found the localization of the projected poison.”

Whether we preside over a nation, are a leader in our community or have assumed full responsibility as stewards of our own life, what we transmit through thought and word affects the whole system.

Right speech is an active ingredient in the practice of harmlessness. As Henry James remarked:

“Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind.”

The true and lasting change we all seek starts from the deep place within our souls and moves out like rays of the sun to warm and illumine the cold dark places of our collective psyche. This is the Pathway of Right Human Relations in action.

So how do we put the principles of right human relations into practice each day? One pragmatic and simple reminder for us to consider is contained in this synthetic statement of Buddhist teaching: “Only think, say and do that which is kind, helpful and true”.

Spiritual teachers throughout the ages have issued a similar invitation: to study our daily conduct, words and thoughts to ensure that they are utterly harmless and that by no mood, depression and/or emotional reaction do we choose to harm a fellow being.  The Tibetan Teacher declared that:

“If harmlessness is the keynote of your life, you will do more to produce right harmonious conditions in your personality than any amount of discipline along other lines.  The drastic purgation brought about by the attempt to be harmless will go far to eliminate wrong states of consciousness…” 

“Therefore, I say to you at this time, practice harmlessness with zest and understanding, for it is the destroyer of all limitation.  Harmfulness is based on selfishness, and on an ego-centric attitude.  It is the demonstration of forces concentrated for self-enforcement, self-aggrandizement, and self-gratification.  Harmlessness is the expression of the life of the man who realizes himself to be everywhere, who lives consciously as a soul, whose nature is love, whose method is inclusiveness, and to whom all forms are alike in that they veil and hide the light, and are but externalizations of the one Infinite Being.” 

We are told in the Ageless Wisdom teaching that harmlessness in thought will first and foremost result in the control of speech, that harmlessness in our emotional reactions will allow us to be a channel for the love aspect of the soul while harmlessness in action produces poise, skillful living and the release of the creative will.

Not only in this upcoming holiday season but during every hour of every day, one of the greatest gifts we can give each other is an open and loving heart and the example of a life imbued with the radiant spirit of harmlessness.

Michael Lindfield

Board President

Meditation Mount