A Joyful Practice

All The Power of Kindness to the nth Degree (the “missing” Wednesday post) November 13, 2024

Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone expressing kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.

It’s World Kindness Day! Be nice to yourself and let the kindness ripple out from there!

This is the “missing” post for Wednesday, November 13^th. There is a reference to a terrorist attacks in 2015. There is also a note indicating how you can skip that part. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

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“In Chinese medicine, the emotions are simply an expression of chi and are not considered good or bad. It is less important which emotions are present and more about whether they are able to flow without impediment, whether they are blocked or repressed. Every prolonged disturbing emotion affects the [health] of our organs and meridians, and every imbalance in our organ-meridian system is tied to a propensity for certain emotions.”

— quoted from the “Emotional Qualities” section of “6. The Kidneys and Urinary Bladder” in Insight Yoga by Sarah Powers (Forward by Paul Grilley, Photography by Matthew Carden)

Just as we did throughout this last week, take a moment to bring awareness to how you are feeling and then breathe into how you are feeling. Many people have a tendency to place a value judgement on their feelings; however, in many Eastern philosophies (like Yoga and Buddhism), everything is recognized as a manifestation of energy — including our emotions.

It can sometimes be helpful to sit with our emotions, breathe into them, and maybe even name them. We might tell ourselves (or others) the story behind them. But, part of this practice is about noticing how our emotions change. In some of the Eastern philosophies (and their accompanying sciences and practices), emotions can have a “near peer” (what is classically referred to in some Buddhist traditions as a “near enemy”) as well as an “opposite”, or two (what is classically referred to in some Buddhist traditions as a “far enemy”). This particular practice highlights the idea of emotions and their opposites — with a particular focus on lovingkindness, which is the opposite of anger/frustration.

“Studies have found that acts of kindness are linked to increased feelings of well-being. Kindness has also been shown to increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion, and improve mood.”

— quoted from the “Celebrating World Kindness Day 2024 with Save the Children” on the Save the Children website

November 13^th is World Kindness Day. Established in 1998, by the World Kindness Movement, a coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from around the world, this day is an opportunity to express kindness; highlight good deeds; and focus on the goodness that can be found around the world. It is a day to look beyond trivialities that separate us and focus on the things that unite us.

Some organizations use World Kindness Day to highlight the “Significance” of kindness and how it can cultivate more harmony in the world. For example, Save the Children focuses on the connection between kindness and a child’s ability to be “physically and emotionally healthy and intellectually curious” with their World Kindness Day theme: “The Importance of Kindness in Child Development”.

“So before you go out searching
Don’t decide what you will find
Be more kind, my friends
Try to be more kind

You should know you’re not alone
And that trouble comes, and trouble goes”

— quoted from the song “Be More Kind” by Frank Turner

There are formal/official events around the world, but you can celebrate kindness (today or any day) in really simple ways. You can offer someone a hug and/or a remind that they are not alone. You can remind someone (even yourself) that “this too shall pass”. You could do something nice for yourself and/or someone you love. For instance, you could listen to someone who is having a hard time. You could just hold the door or the elevator for someone in a rush. Another way to observe is to volunteer and/or make a donation. You could also perform a random act of kindness for someone you have never met and will never meet. Remember, a little kindness can go a long way and it doesn’t have to cost you anything.

Consider that being nice can benefit you and the people around. Just think of a really challenging moment, a moment when you are angry and/or frustrated. Now, consider how the energy in the room can shift when you do doing something nice — for yourself or the person with whom you are sharing the challenging experience. For that matter, consider how your mood shifts when you do something nice for someone not connected to your anger and frustration. This is one of the ways we can cultivate the opposites.

Yoga Sūtra 2.33: vitarkabādhane pratipakṣabhāvanam

— “When these codes of self-regulation or restraint (yamas) and observances or practices of self-training (niyamas) are inhibited from being practiced due to perverse, unwholesome, troublesome, or deviant thoughts, principles in the opposite direction, or contrary thought should be cultivated.”

There are times when it can be particularly challenging to be wise and skillful. There are times, as Patanjali pointed out in the Yoga Sūtras, when we may not be practicing the philosophy (or have not practiced long enough for it’s principles to be a habit). For instance, we might be in a state of panic, because someone is committing an act of terrorism.

You may skip to the next highlighted quote.

In 2015, Paris experienced several terrorist attacks. Early in the year, two terrorists attacked the headquarters of Charlie Hebdo, a weekly satirical magazine. Many people were injured. Twelve people were killed, including Ahmed Merabet, a 42-year old police officer. For weeks afterwards, there was more death and more terror — some coming in the form of retaliation against people who were perceived as being similar to the terrorists (because of their perceived religion, race, and/or ethnicity).

For weeks afterwards, there was also kindness: In a show of solidarity, people around the world proclaimed, “Je suis Charlie” and “Je suis Ahmed” (“I am Charlie” and “I am Ahmed”).

Fast forward to November 13, 2015, when three groups of terrorists coordinated attacks outside the Stade de France in Saint-Denis (a northern suburb of Paris); at a series of cafés and restaurants in Paris; and at the Bataclan theatre in Paris. The stadium was full of fans attending an international football match; the cafés and restaurants were crowded; and the theatre was hosting a sold-out concert. In fact, Eagles of Death Metal, an American rock band, had just started playing a song from their 2004 album, Peace, Love, Death Metal. Approximately 416 people were injured and 130 were killed, including 90 at the Bataclan. One of the people killed at the theatre was 36-year old Nick Alexander, who had been selling merchandise for Eagles of Death Metal. As is always the case with terrorism, some of the injuries are on the inside. At least three people later died by suicide that resulted from PTSD related to the attacks.

The kindness that followed the attacks came in a lot of different forms, including musical forms. Proceeds from Eagles of Death Metal’s cover of the Duran Duran song “Save a Prayer” were donated to charity. Josh Homme, the drummer for Eagles of Death Metal (EOD), encouraged other musicians to cover the EOD song “I Love You All the Time” — with proceeds from those covers going to victims of the attack by way of the 501(c)(3) Sweet Stuff Foundation.

“Ah dis-moi pourquoi
Ah dis-moi pourquoi
Ah dis-moi pourquoi”

— quoted from the end of the song “I Love You All the Time” by Eagles of Death Metal (written by Jesse Nathaniel Hughes / Mark Ramos Nishita)

NOTE: The final French lyrics can be translated into English as “Oh tell me why” (3x)

We all witness people come together during great tragedies. But, sometimes we forget that there is always someone watching to see how we deal with any challenging situations and emotions. The children of the world are always watching us.

Just as it is important to remember that we can come together on any given day, it is important to remember that people are watching to see if/when we do — and how we do it. World Kindness Day is as good time as any to remember that we can all set an example for the children around us. This is true even if we are not parents; even if we are not teachers.

This is true even if we are not always perfect and wise. For example, in 2011, a professional basketball player, who was born today in 1979, legally changed his name to Metta World Peace — which translates to Lovingkindness World Peace. Now known as Metta Sandiford-Artest, a surname that combines his birth surname and his wife’s surname, he said that he made the initial change “to inspire and bring youth together all around the world”.

“Think of your fellow man
Lend him a helping hand
Put a little love in your heart

You see it’s getting late
Oh, please don’t hesitate
Put a little love in your heart”

— quoted from the song “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” by  Jackie DeShannon, covered by Eagles of Death Metal (written by Jackie De Shannon / Jimmy Holiday / Randy Myers)

Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “11132024 All The Power of Kindness to the nth Degree”]

This cover is not (yet) on the playlist.

If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.

White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.

If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).

“Because I believe that the most
daring, outlandish, revolutionary thing
you can do in 21st century America
is to treat everybody
people you know, people you don’t know
with dignity and kindness whenever possible.”

— quoted from the song “Rebel” by King Straggler

### Definitely Be A Rebel ###