On the final page of chapter 3 in Seat of the Soul, Gary writes: “The reverent person cannot consider himself or herself superior to another person or to any other form of Life, because the reverent person sees Divinity in all forms of Life, and honors it” (p. 42). And the study guide for chapter 3 ends with this question: “If you revered all things, how would your life be different?”
As I learn to practice authentic power, I also learn to become reverent, to love all forms of life, including the mosquito who attempted to feed on me yesterday in my room and whom I didn’t kill because I was able to stop my unconscious reaction just in time. Instead, I caught the mosquito, wrapped my hand around her as gently as I could and released her outside. I have been challenging these particular fps of control ever since I heard from someone who spent time in a Korean monastery that Buddhist monks there practice reverence for all beings to the point of not even killing a mosquito. Looking at a mosquito with reverence rather than fear is a huge challenge to frightened parts of my personality. I also remember a French film called Microcosmos, which ends with a striking sequence, in slow motion, of an insect elegantly unfolding its transparent wings then taking flight in the brilliant early morning sun. Only at the end of the sequence does the film resume its normal speed, and what we see is a mosquito rapidly buzzing away (the buzzing sound is unmistakable). Ever since watching this film at least 15 years ago, I have felt a certain amount of reverence for mosquitoes, understanding with my heart how beautiful and perfect they are, but I still indulged fps that would smack them if “attacked.”
For me, revering all things also means minimizing the impact my life has on other forms of life. I recently adopted the vegan way of life, which seeks to lessen suffering in the world through compassion for all beings and through mindful living. I see this turn in my life as naturally evolving from my intention to practice authentic power. As I understand it, to be loving means to be reverent, or to perceive others with the eye of the heart, which seeks never to harm anyone, all the way to the “lowly” and “pesky” mosquito. I can see clearly how frightened parts that react to mosquitoes are the same as those that react to people with anger, frustration, judgment, or the desire to control. Every challenge to these frightened parts of my personality comes from my intention to cultivate authentic power.
With love,
Catherine