Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground. - Rumi

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Equanimity, Joy, Love, Compassion




4 Treasures
watercolor on watercolor paper
8/2012

One of my favorite words as a teacher is equanimity.
To me it means is treating each child the same.  What I do for one, I do for all.  Give the same level of care, giving, understanding and compassion.
Many years ago, as an end of the year gift a family gave me a bracelet from Me and Ro with these Tibetan symbols on it.  This bracelet is one of the most amazing beautiful gifts I have ever been given.  The symbolism of this gift coming from a family whose child I taught touches me deeply.  The words on the beads are love, compassion, joy and equanimity in Tibetan.  WOW!! 
As a teacher how important are these words.

I think about these words and what the actions of these words imply.
I felt like receiving this gift was a message from the universe about my path in life.  It was telling me how I should be with children: the importance of creating a safe place for children to be and grow, it re-enforced how I strive to be with children – neutral, gentle, observant and a listener.  It doesn’t matter the age of the child.


Sometimes I think I take myself too seriously, but then I think I am affecting someone’s life. I am giving them permission to be themselves or I am causing them to shrink inside.  I am giving a child permission to safely explore the world or I am saying the world is not safe, don’t explore.  I am giving a child permission to express who he or she is right here and now or I am saying it isn’t important for you to share who you are.
 In my world I always choose to say YES:  explore, express be yourself to the children and adults I encounter on my path.
It isn’t always easy, I make it sound easy, it isn’t, but isn’t it great to be up to a challenge.  Challenges help us grow.

The four immeasurables:

May all sentient beings have happiness and its causes,
May all sentient beings be free of suffering and its causes,
May all sentient beings never be separated from bliss without suffering,
May all sentient beings be in equanimity, free of bias, attachment and anger.  From brahma viharas ( a buddhist quote)



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