I recently spent time at a yoga retreat, living, eating, and practicing among strangers (who I now consider friends).
There were approximately 30 people on the retreat and together we represented 15 states, 4 countries, 5 religions, several socioeconomic statuses, and a 40 year span in age. Not only did I learn quite a bit about yoga, deepening my practice, strengthening my body, (and requiring a massage to smooth out the pretzel I turned into), I also learned a bit about myself and others.
When it comes down to it. We are all striving for the same things, fighting the same demons, and trying to make sense of the same wounds.
Abraham Maslow, a psychologist in the 1940’s described it is as Hierarchy of Needs, with the most important basic (and necessary) being physiological needs, and the important (though not essential) of self-actualization. See the lovely chart below for specifics…
Boundless.com
That means that when you break it down, there are only 5 categories of things that we need in this life. (None of which are a PlayStation or a $700 purse)
So where did we get this idea that we are all so different?
We are constantly bombarded with messages from society that we are different (in a bad way). That if we had a fancier car, we would be a better person, that we should fight over our religious or our political beliefs, that our life isn’t complete because we haven’t been on a reality TV show. When in reality, (see what I did there?), none of that matters. The moment we realize that, is the moment that we stop living in a “me” world, and start living as a “we”.
This is one of my favorite quotes from the Buddha, and might clear up any confusion: “All beings tremble before violence. All fear death. All love life. See yourself in others. Then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do?
Why am I telling you this? Should your next move be to start a rousing round of Kumbaya on the street corner? I won’t judge you if it is. I’m telling you this, because if we are all “connected”, if we are all dealing with the same problems, and striving for the same goals, then when you hurt, I hurt. When you succeed, I succeed, and when you struggle, I struggle.
What a novel way to look at the world!
When I see an animal being mistreated or neglected, I take it personally. When I see a child going hungry, I take it personally. When individuals (or creatures) fail in life, we all fail.
If you were to look at life this way, would you help others? Would you feed the homeless? (and not just on Christmas… people need to eat all year round) Would you walk a dog who is waiting for their forever home? Would you tutor an underprivileged child and teach them to read? Would you give comfort to a fellow human being during the last weeks of their life?
Here is the more important question…will you?
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