to react or respond is sometimes the quandary. Silence is often the best alternative...

1. Reaction or Response?
July 12, 2015
To react or to respond is sometimes the quandary. Silence is often
the best alternative - call it a response. To make a gesture to a
stimuli has two choices. The reaction is typically a sudden,
defensive, quick move with little consideration for the
consequences. Often a reaction is a mirroring of past memories
with little consideration for others viewpoints, but felt appropriate.
A reaction is a viewpoint uncaring of what anyone thinks.
The mind is a gift that only we have of all living things with the possibility of its full potential
use. Someone recently said that we all fail? If that thought becomes a reaction that penetrates
your life on and on, that’s ‘failing to see the positive opportunities’. What some see as a failure
is another person’s view of a learning experience to better move on into the moment and
future. Responsibility is the ‘ability to respond’ in a more affirmative way to circumstances. If a
reaction happens, it’s a moment to take responsibility for it by climbing the ladder of ‘best
choices’, rather than dwelling in the basement of the mind and heart. To move from a
reaction that lingers in the mind, one needs to see the lessons and use
them for next time.
Let reactions be primal and forgiving yourself for not anticipating the
coming of whatever stimuli it may be whether crossing the street
realizing you weren’t being watchful or an initiated verbal joust from
someone who is ‘reacting’. Use the mind and that loving feeling
(enhanced by meditating?) to explore how best to use that ‘ability to
respond’. People who create a reaction, need to sooth a reaction to their
initiating reaction. That’s ‘taking responsibility for’ causing a reaction to
your non loving is a self teaching tool if one is focused on being more
aware and seeing that their provocation can be met with caring
assuagion that mends the mirroring of your verbiage.
Living in a state of frequent reaction is a ‘call for’ seeing and using the opportunity to convert
or transform those moments into the ability to respond. Make it your responsibility, and don’t
forget that one of the best ‘smoothers’ is the ability to use humor and laughter. Life has a sense
of ‘musical chairs’ or wearing many hats to adapt to whatever befalls us.
Just a thought, never let yourself indulge in initiating false, bitter and vicious speech. My words
should reflect my true, inner nature, that of purity and peace. Words, once spoken, can never
be recalled. They reverberate all around, beyond our control. Today, as I utter words, what
effect will they have on those who hear them? Will they be the words that are poisonous and
cause pain? Or will my tongue be like that of the nightingale, sweet and so, so very soothing
and lovely to the ear? Fill the heart with more love. The methods are free and used for
millenniums. They are called Yoga and meditation.
Arhata~