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The Kindness Box

Geoff-Allen

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
By regarding ourselves with kindness, we begin to dissolve the identity of an isolated, deficient self. This creates the grounds for including others in an unconditionally loving heart.

Tara Brach

Cheers!
 
Geoff-Allen

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
In cultivating loving-kindness, we train to be honest, loving and compassionate toward ourselves. Rather than nurturing self-denigration, we begin to cultivate a clear-seeing kindness. Sometimes we feel good and strong. Sometimes we feel inadequate and week. But like mother love, maitri is unconditional. No matter how we feel, we can aspire to be happy. We can learn to act and think in ways that sow seeds of our future well-being, gradually becoming more aware of what causes happiness as well as what causes distress. Without loving-kindness for ourselves, it is difficult, if not impossible, to genuinely feel it for others.

To move from aggression to unconditional loving-kindness can seem like a daunting task. But we start with what is familiar. The instruction for cultivating limitless maitri is to first find the tenderness that we already have. We touch it with our gratitude or appreciation - our current ability to feel goodwill. In a very non-theoretical way we contact the soft spot of bodhichitta. Whether we find it in the tenderness of feeling vole or the vulnerability of feeling lonely is immaterial. If we look for that soft, unguarded place, we can always find it.

For instance, even in the rock-hardness of rage, if we look below the surface of the aggression, we’ll generally find fear. There’s something beneath the solidity of anger that feels very raw and sore. Underneath the defensiveness is the brokenhearted, unshielded  quality of bodhichitta. Rather than feel this tenderness, however, we tend to close down and protect against the discomfort. That we close down is not a problem. In fact, to become aware of when we do so is an important part of the training. The first step in cultivating loving-kindness is to see when we are erecting barriers between ourselves and others, The compassionate recognition is essential. Unless we understand - in a nonjudgmental way - that we are hardening our hearts, there is no possibility of dissolving that armor. Without dissolving the armor, the loving-kindness of bodhichitta is always held back. We are always obstructing our innate capacity to love without an agenda.

So we train in awakening the loving-kindness of bodhichitta in all kinds of relationships, both openhearted and blocked. All these relationships become aids in uncovering our ability to feel and express love.’

- Pema Chodron, The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times.

Could search for Pema here -

TOP 25 QUOTES BY PEMA CHODRON (of 453) | A-Z Quotes

Enjoy your browsing!

:)
 
Geoff-Allen

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
Another Buddhist site {and magazine} ...

Surprised-by-Joy.png


Kindness & Generosity

All the best!
 
Geoff-Allen

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
Also from Lion's Roar site -

I recently realized that I’ve lived most of my life without knowing the definition of kindness. For a long time, when I thought about what kindness looked like, I pictured the classic example of helping someone carry groceries to their car. I figured kindness had something to do with being friendly, perhaps with a pinch of generosity thrown in.

But what would be left if I peeled kindness away from action?

The Dalai Lama famously said, “My religion is simple. My religion is kindness.” If kindness is so radical that it can define someone’s entire spirituality, then it has to be more than a good deed.

My partner recently went through a bout of severe anxiety. She was battling demons I couldn’t see. Wanting to fix her pain, I tried to become a rock she could lean on continuously, without hesitation and without limits. As I started to burn out, I slowly realized that the support I was offering my partner didn’t include kindness toward myself.

What Does It Mean to Be Kind?

Cheers!
 
Geoff-Allen

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
"Renunciation, at least as Buddhists use the term, is a much-misunderstood concept. It is not about giving up what is good and beautiful. How foolish that would be! Rather it is about disentangling oneself from the unsatisfactory and moving with determination toward what matters most. It is about freedom and meaning - freedom from mental confusion and self-centered afflictions, meaning through insight and loving kindness."

~ Matthieu Ricard, Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill.
 
Geoff-Allen

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
EQ & KINDNESS

Have you heard about EQ or Emotional Intelligence? It seems to be getting a lot of attention lately. Considered “soft skills” or “people skills”, this ability has become quite a topic of conversation. The definition of Emotional Intelligence according to the Oxford Dictionary is the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judicially and empathetically.

Researchers are finding that without Emotional Intelligence, it can hinder your success in your personal and business life, as well as in school. Some experts even suggest that EQ may be even more important than IQ.

Not much attention was given to the impact of emotions, until it gained momentum in 1990 when Psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer published their landmark article “Emotional Intelligence,” in the journal Imagination, Cognition, and Personality. Peter Salovey is now the President of Yale University and Founder of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Their mission is to “use the power of emotions to create a more effective and compassionate society.”

Read more -

EQ & Kindness - Think Kindness

:)
 
Geoff-Allen

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
KIDS SHARE A MESSAGE OF KINDNESS

Over 160 kids from around the globe submitted their Kindness Speech in hopes of inspiring millions to spread kindness, joy, love, and empathy. It's not easy to be given a task of writing a speech to inspire the globe! (and only have 60 seconds to do it). But they rocked the challenge.

“If you had a megaphone that could reach the entire world, what would you say to inspire more kindness?”

Some gave actionable ideas, others covered historical acts – but everyone called the viewers to action. Why do I LOVE this so much? Well, this is because these kids represent our future. They represent what it truly means to be an amazing human being. Regardless of age, gender, identity – we are all human and deserving of kindness.

Kids Share a Message of Kindness - Think Kindness

:)
 
Geoff-Allen

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
Generosity of spirit -

For centuries, spiritual leaders and philosophers have viewed generosity as the key to happiness. “There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up,” wrote John Holmes, the late poet and critic. However, the link between happiness and generosity is no longer just a theory. A University of Zurich study offers scientific proof that generous behavior can give you a happier life.

In the study, conducted by Ernst Fehr and Philippe Tobler, in conjunction with a team of international researchers, 50 participants were promised varied sums of money that they’d receive in the near future. The control group committed to spending the money on themselves, while the other subjects chose to spend it on others.

Read more at this psych blog -

Study Shows Generous Behavior Leads to Increased Happiness

All the best!

:)
 
F

FineLinen

Well-Known Member
One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement...It is easy to laugh at men's ideals; it is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet. Blessed is the man who speaks such a word. -William Barclay
 
Geoff-Allen

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
When we see someone being kind or generous, it gives us a warm glow feeling inside. Researchers call this “moral elevation,” and it not only feels good but inspires us to want to do good ourselves.

But how much does witnessing good affect us—and why? A new analysis of decades of research aimed to find out the answers. The results suggest that our acts of kindness and generosity, online or offline, can have meaningful ripple effects in our communities.

The Power of One Act of Kindness

All the best!

:)
 
F

FineLinen

Well-Known Member
Video has emerged showing a man -- identified as Jim Finch -- setting up a grill in the middle of Mayfield, Kentucky, to prepare food for locals who have been impacted by the tornado that ravaged the town on Friday.

"I just figured I'd do what I can do -- show up with some food and some water," Finch is heard saying on video as debris and rubble can be seen in the background.

Finch traveled an hour and a half to get to Mayfield
 
Geoff-Allen

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
Make the world a kinder, happier place—and see your generosity matched dollar-for-dollar.

Now more than ever, the Greater Good Science Center wants to share its resources for kindness, connection, and resilience as widely as possible. And we can't do that without your help: Our work relies on the generosity of donors like you.

And this year, your generosity will go twice as far: Every donation we receive as part of this crowdfunding campaign will be doubled! Help us reach the ambitious $200,000 matching goal that our founding donors have generously set!

For more details -

We’ll Match Your Greater Good Gift!

:)
 
Geoff-Allen

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
At the risk of really labouring the point! -

When asked what they want most out of life for their children, parents often say they want them to be happy and successful, but more recently there has been a focus on raising children who understand the importance of kindness.

“This focus is a direct reflection of the world we live in,” says Rachel Tomlinson, Registered Psychologist and author of Teaching Kids to be Kind.

“At times we can be confronted with conflict, distress and an overwhelming pain about the state of the world, so we often look into our own lives for clarity and to make change.

“We all hope for the best for our children and are driven to see them become good people.”

Kindness is its own reward, but it has other benefits.

“Kind children experience a better sense of self-esteem because they see the positive impact of their behaviours and actions towards others,” she says.

Top tips for teaching children kindness

:)
 
Geoff-Allen

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
What are the most important traits to encourage during a child’s development?

This is an inherently personal question, one that will provoke a wide variety of answers from parents, educators, and researchers around the world.

This article focuses on two traits in particular: kindness and empathy. While we won’t argue that they’re the most important traits for a child to develop, it could be argued that they’re among the traits most in need of encouragement in young people.

Many people think that children naturally develop kindness and empathy, so it might be assumed that time spent focusing on those traits would be better spent on studying math, practicing the piano, or playing basketball. Indeed, these two traits do often develop without any special attention paid to them.

Read more here -

40 Kindness Activities & Empathy Worksheets for Students and Adults

:)
 
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