I have often said that the greatest thoughts of the past two decades are written on bumper stickers and t-shirts. It has become a part of my mission to look at these missives in a spiritual light. Once such bumper sticker that has been around for quite a long time now is, “Practice Random Acts of Kindness.” The concept is easy; whenever it comes to mind simply do something nice for someone you do not know. This might be paying for someone’s newspaper at the grocery store, or paying the freeway toll for the car behind you. It could be helping someone across the street, or even holding open a door for someone.
Now please allow me to bring to light a practice that you can use to more fully engage in the spiritual aspects of kindness.
In his book The Power of Intention Dr. Wayne W. Dyer teaches being kind as one of the seven facets of connecting with intention. He outline being kind to ourselves, others, and the world as a whole. I would like to focus on being kind to others. Dr. Dyer begins by stating, “A fundamental attribute of the supreme originating power in kindness.” P. 43 He later continues, “Kindness given is kindness returned. If you wish to connect to intention and become someone who achieves all of your objectives in life, you’re going to need the assistance of a multitude of folks. By practicing extending kindness everywhere, you’ll find support showing up in ways that you could never have predicted.” P.45 It would follow that the more people we are kind to the more kindness we experience from others in return. I believe, however, that the amount of kindness we receive is inversely proportional to the amount we give. That is to say we get back more than we give out.
I have long held a belief that everyone we connect with on this planet is here to support our journey. This may be someone we meet once for a brief moment and it may be someone that is an intimate part of our life. This may be someone we hold the door for or someone that holds the door for us. No matter how short the interaction there has been a connection and that connection serves both people. It could be a simple as someone you have never met smiling at you as you pass on the street corner only because you are smiling. These types of instant connections are actually a form of kindness. If you are smiling and I smile at you smiling; your feeling tone has transferred to me and I have picked it up and will pass it along to another. Kindness works this same way. Once you are the recipient of kindness are you not more inclined to pass it along and be kind to someone?
If knowing kindness is a flowing aspect of the supreme and knowing it comes back to us as we freely give, why do some people hoard their kindness and share it with only those they know, or “Randomly” share a little kindness with someone the do not know? This is the question I intend to replace today with a new paradigm of kindness.
Kindness can easily be considered an aspect of the supreme creative force that I call GOD and invite you to call by whatever name serves you. Kindness therefore is holy, sacred and divine. When we share our kindness it flows out into the Universe and returns to us in greater proportion that what we sent out. Our kindness has the ability to impact thousands of other people across the globe. One simple act of kindness can change the world.
How can I make the claim that One act of kindness can change the world? I suggest if you at all question this statement you take a look at the research done by Dr. David Hawkins, his book, POWER VS. FORCE proves how the high vibration thoughts of just one person can influence the low vibration thoughts of 90,000 people. If one act of kindness influences let’s say 10 people to think at a higher vibration that would be 900,000 people whose low vibration thoughts are being counterbalanced in the universal field of thought.
Here then is the call I feel pulling me into a greater expression of my life. What if rather than practicing “Random” acts of kindness we were to practice consistent acts of intentional kindness? What if everyday we looked not for one or two opportunities to share and cultivate our kindness, but made it part of our normal operating system? What if every moment of everyday we choose to express kindness regardless of the events we are experiencing?
I have a vision of how the world will change when only a handful of us begin practicing consistent acts of intentional kindness. When we begin living our lives as examples of this concept there are no limits to the good we may share. I know every one of us already makes a difference simply by being present on the planet, now how much good can we bring when we are being intentional about our kindness. I suggest no longer waiting for the right opportunity or the right moment to practice kindness. Rather I suggest we make kindness a way of life, a part of our being, and a portion of whom we truly are on this planet and why we have come here. I believe we have been practicing for quite a long time and it is now time to be kind, to live kindly, and to express kindness in all we do, think, and say.
Will you join me on this adventure? Can you commit to being kind regardless of the situation? Will you stop being random and start being intentional? Can we create a new bumper sticker? I suggest we begin today, right where each of us stands and practice consistent acts of intentional kindness. As we do this I promise the world will change and change for good. Kindness now shines through each of us out into the world so all may see the LIGHT OF KINDNESS.