The below provocation is an excerpt from my book 52 Weeks of Relief: Uplifting Provocations for Stress Reduction and Self-Care.
Years ago I heard a Unity minister, Phillip Pearson, ask the question, “Are people safe on the pathways of your mind?” Wow. What an important question. Particularly because I believe that what we are thinking, and therefore what we are holding in our hearts, is at least as important as our words and actions. Actually, I think that our thoughts in some ways are more important because they eventually lead to our words and actions.
I know someone who is sick a lot. She has been that way her whole life. How can I keep her safe on the pathways of my mind? By having compassion for her experiences of sickness and also by seeing her well, strong, and capable as consistently as she sees herself sick.
I have a friend who feels overwhelmed and scared about her life circumstances right now. The circumstances are very real. How can I keep her safe on the pathways of my mind? I could be soft and really listen to her feelings, yet at the same time I could know her strength and ability to make changes even more firmly than she fears she cannot.
A minister I know is sad and disappointed because of what is happening with the finances in his church. What can I best do for him? To keep him safe on the pathways of my mind I can be present and compassionate with his challenge, and hold thoughts and visions of greater prosperity and well-being for everyone concerned.
Actively engaging both sides—being present with compassion AND holding a higher vision of strength—is a beautiful answer to, “How do I keep people safe on the pathways of my mind?”
It’s not always easy to do both. However, if I don’t attempt both I will never live up to the vision of myself that I most want—me living as a beneficial and uplifting presence. This is why. If I only dive into the “realness” of their “bad” situation, then it becomes a negative swirling vortex taking everyone further down.
It helps solidify the difficulty of the situation. I can feel when conversations are going in that direction because the loving softness of compassion turns instead into a heavy, sticky negativity. Do you ever have those conversations? On the other hand, if I am only holding strong thoughts and visions of more well-being, without first being truly present with the pain someone is feeling, then I often shut my heart down and seem cold and distant.
The same question is so very important for you to ask yourself also. Am I safe on the pathways of my mind? Am I willing to be present and compassionate with my own challenges and difficulties—without being judgmental or critical—and at the same time trust in my own goodness and strength to make changes?
This is your provocation: to keep people everywhere, yourself included, safe on the pathways of your mind this week. Be soft and compassionate and be powerful and strong. It is a tall order, but worthy of your attention. At least it is for me. Join me!