Response ~ summary points from Awaken Children

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Response or Reaction ~ summary points from Awaken Children

 

Response is total acceptance. It is also non-acceptance with a

positive attitude. It can also be neither acceptance nor rejection;

you remain watching the reaction that arises from you. You don't get

involved at all.

 

Response is an attitude. It happens when one is totally detached. This

is possible only when one becomes free from the ego.

 

Response is a positive mental attitude you develop towards others,

whether friend or enemy. To respond is to stand aside, untouched,

unaffected and detached.

 

Only a compassionate heart can respond. Only a loving person who is

full of love can respond ... Love cannot hurt; likewise, response

cannot hurt. Forgiveness without having any feeling of hatred or

revenge is response.

 

People may sometimes appear to forgive but they may be just

suppressing their anger and hatred. Such unexpressed anger and hatred

will remain deep within, and when the occasion arises, they will be

expressed. Such forgiveness is reaction, not response.

 

It is the mind and the ego that tempt one to react. They are the

storehouses of the past. The past is the seat of anger, hatred,

revenge, attachment, jealously and all negativity.

 

The past is the reference book, like a dictionary or a thesaurus.

Whenever we hear, experience or do something, we automatically refer

to these old pages and speak or act according to these references.

This is reaction. There is nothing to refer to once the past is removed.

 

If the past doesn't exist, then no problems arise; only peace and

bliss exist. The past is the account into which we deposit more and

more through our reactions.

 

Each reaction that arises within us causes a delay in our attaining

the goal, whereas acceptance will cause grace to flow without any break.

 

Using your discrimination, learn how to listen and respond without

reacting. Reaction will benefit neither your victim nor you.

 

Attachment to the work and its fruit creates ego, which will destroy

the ability to respond. Detachment from the work and its fruit

destroys ego, which will help one to respond.

 

A sadhak's [spiritual aspirant's] entire life is dedicated to removing

anger and other negative tendencies. His or her constant effort and

the Guru's grace take him or her to the state of perfection, where

there is no ego, no thoughts and no mind. Once he or she reaches that

state, he or she will be able to respond genuinely.

 

In order to respond, one should become like a mirror. One should

become a very good reflector of the others' feelings. A mirror just

reflects but never gets involved; it is never touched or tainted by

the images.

 

We should try to see the nature of things as they are. The nature of

anything, whether an object or a being, cannot be other than the way

it is. If this is understood, one can only respond.

 

Response comes from the great soul who remains blank. He or she does

not want to disturb the silence with unnecessary sounds or disfigure

the blank sheet of paper with unnecessary words.

 

Be compassionate, even towards those who bother you. Try to pray for

them. Such an attitude will help your mind also to remain peaceful and

calm. This is genuine response.

 

-summary from Awaken Children in Matruvani Vol 19 Nov 2007