Take a deep breath. Could you think of a moment when you were jealous of a friend’s success or greedy for an extra piece of something delicious, especially when there wasn’t enough for a second helping?
We might notice an occasional greed here or a jealousy there within our own minds. And we are quick to berate ourselves for that. Instead, we need to accept this quality within ourselves. It is okay to be human.
When we observe it mindfully, we create a space between the feeling and our mind. Instead of “Oh! I am a jealous/ greedy/ selfish person!” we need to think as “Oh that is a jealous/greedy/ selfish thought that I am having now” and let it go. No guilt, or carrying forward. You were jealous momentarily. But that is not who you are.
This helps to reduce the conflicts we have in our own minds. Only when we reduce the conflicts within our own mind, can we resolve conflicts with others.
When we deal with these qualities in ourselves in this way, it helps us realise and understand the human qualities we collectively have. When we realise why we have these qualities, we are able to see where these qualities come from for the others as well.
So when we observe the others exhibiting an undesirable quality, we are able to look at it objectively and say – “Oh she is having a jealous moment.” than “She is such a jealous person!”
Mindfulness helps us to deal with conflicts within ourselves in our own mind. We cannot deal with conflicts with others if we cannot deal with it in our own mind.
A conflict is a mental struggle arising out of opposing wishes or ideas or impulses. We see conflicts between people, institutions, religions and nations. Although it seems huge and unresolvable, conflict resolution begins with the understanding about one’s own mind.
Practicing mindfulness by observing your thoughts for a few minutes on a daily basis helps you to be mindful more often. When we are mindful, we understand the inner as well as external conflicts with clarity and can play a role in contributing to peace in the world.
To get an idea about meditation and mindfulness, you might want to checkout the FREE Five-days Introduction to Meditation and Mindfulness here.
Bell The Mind 