Question:
How to cultivate values in everyday life?
Answer:
Each morning, making time for silence to connect with the inner being gives the experience of the original qualities of the self – which are peace, love, truth, purity and happiness. As I connect with these innate qualities, and emerge them in my awareness, I remember that this is my own original, true state of being. Through the day I am then able to bring them back to my awareness and implement and experience these values in my life – in my work, with my family and friends and in the way I respond to what is happening around me.
It is still very easy to lose sight of things – even what’s important to us personally – in the hurly-burly of activity throughout the day. So, taking a short pause every hour on the hour is a good way to remind the self of these inner values and connect the self with the inner core of my being. It is then possible for me, if necessary, to get myself back on track quickly and empower myself to follow these in my life.
If it’s not so easy to pause every hour, then perhaps I can at least remind myself to go inwards, whenever I give water or food to my body to nourish it. During that time I can take the opportunity to nourish the soul too, and replenish the awareness of these inner values again and again.
At the end of the day it’s extremely useful to do an audit for the self. I ask myself the question: Could I have done something differently? Was there something more I could have said or done to stay true to my own inner values? By the next day, we have usually forgotten everything. So to do this self-audit at night, while the day can still emerge in my awareness, means that I can learn the lessons that the drama of life has taught me today.
If a mistake was made, let me take the learning from it. If I witnessed outstanding or unexpected kindness or inner strength in another, let me take that as an example for myself to follow. In this way, I am reviewing and understanding the actions and interactions of the day and at the same time actively renewing my commitment and passion for the next day.
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