Scientists are now confirming what mystics have long known—We belong to each other. Our brains are wired for community. When our own fear is not processed but expressed in hate toward another; it is registered in our brains the same way physical pain is felt. Likewise, when we open ourselves to wonder and generosity, we experience pleasure. “Heart-breaking” and “soulful” are not merely metaphors, but descriptors of conditions felt within the body.
Our moral imagination is active whether we are aware of it or not. We are constantly processing our own ethic of responsibility. We feel “sick about this,” because our brains are holding us accountable for lack of action when we see an injustice. We feel “buoyed or uplifted,” when we act in hope. We truly feel better when we do better.
The code found in every religion and culture of, “Do unto others as you would like them to do to you,” and its inverse, “Do not do to others what you don’t want done to you,” is not just a platitude, or “golden rule,” but instructions on how to be happy. We are, by our very nature, empathetic beings, who succeed or fail together.
Altruism as a personality trait developed because it provided benefit for the community. Cooperation has been essential to our survival as a species. Prosocial behavior creates an internal threshold of abundance, where repetition reinforces the neural pathways. Each time we strengthen our sense of interconnectedness, we make it easier to respond in compassionate behavior. Loving-kindness truly is the answer no matter what the stimulus. The grandmothers are ambassadors for this way of being–caring matters.
#FamiliesBelongTogether #LoveThyNeighbor (NoExceptions) #Peace #StandWithImmigrants #LovingKindness #LoveKnowsNoBorders #Nonviolence #Peacebuilding #AJustWorld4All #GrandmotherHealingDolls #PeaceLoveUnderstanding
Share your thoughts in meaningful dialogue –
(Please do not comment here, instead use these posts as opportunities for respectful communication directly with someone you know. Here’s an idea…how about talking with someone who disagrees with you on this or other issues?)
What is loving-kindness?
Please tell about a time when someone helped you out.
Please finish the sentence – I have felt true bliss when…