The Gentle Art of Blessing.

I debated on posting this, for fear of being ridiculed as a fluff flinging idealist, with no scientific basis for my post. However, after much deliberation I've decided to go with it, as it's had a profound impact on how I think. I'm not saying it's changed me into a saint overnight or anything like that. I'm just saying it's offered me a considerable measure of comfort, and helped to quiet that constant annoying voice that pops up throughout the day, spewing negative brain vomit.

What I would like to share with you is an awesome book by Pierre Pradervand, entitled "The Gentle Art of Blessing". The book follows in essence a very simple idea, treat others as you would like to be treated. However, this applies not only to our physical actions and interactions, it also applies to how we think.
Along with some great life advice, this book offers some very compelling anecdotes from people all over the world who have found great peace. On a side note, before I forget, another great thing about the book is that half of the royalties from it are donated to charity.

One thing that struck me right off the bat is how this book draws upon many different philosophies, and points to many of the similarities found within them. This excites me because I have always strongly felt that we as a whole have a tendency to focus on the differences, a divisive way of thinking that makes each of us weaker in the process. It's refreshing to see a text which focuses on the similarities, the positives, and the good that I firmly believe is in the heart of every person, though sometimes you may have to do some digging to find it.

I'd like to share some excerpts from the book, which I found online. Here is the source page where I found a review and excerpts from the book. The book is divided into chapters which expand upon each of the items listed below.

On awakening, bless this day, for it is already full of unseen good which your blessings will call forth, for to bless is to acknowledge the unlimited good that is embedded in the texture of the universe and awaiting each and all.

On passing people in the street, on the bus, in places of work and play, bless them. The peace of your blessing will companion them on their way, and its aura will be a light on their path.

On meeting people and talking to them, bless them in their health, their work, their joy, their relationship to the universe, themselves and others. Bless them in their abundance and their finances, bless them in every conceivable way, for such blessings not only sow seeds of healing but one day will spring forth as flowers in the waste places of your own life.

As you walk, bless the city in which you live, its government and teachers, its nurses and street sweepers, its children and bankers, its priests and prostitutes. The minute anyone expresses the least aggression or unkindness to you, respond with a blessing. Bless them totally, sincerely, joyfully—for such blessings are a shield that protects them from the ignorance of their misdeed and deflects the arrow that was aimed at you.

To bless means to wish, unconditionally and from the deepest chamber of your heart, unrestricted good for others and events; it means to hallow, to hold in reverence, to behold with awe that which is always a gift from the Creator. He who is hallowed by your blessing is set aside, consecrated, holy, whole. To bless is to invoke divine care upon, to speak or think gratefully for, to confer happiness upon, although we ourselves are never the bestower, but simply the joyful witnesses of life’s abundance.

To bless all without distinction is the ultimate form of giving, because those you bless will never know from whence came the sudden ray that burst through the clouds of their skies, and you will rarely be a witness to the sunlight in their lives. When something goes completely askew in your day, when some unexpected event upsets your plans—and you—burst into blessing. For life is teaching you a lesson, and the very event you believe to be unwanted, you yourself called forth, so as to learn the lesson you might balk against were you not to bless it. Trials are blessings in disguise, and hosts of angels follow in their path.

To bless is to acknowledge the omnipresent, universal beauty hidden from material eyes; it is to activate that law of attraction which, from the furthest reaches of the universe, will bring into your life exactly what you need to experience and enjoy.

When you pass a prison, mentally bless its inmates in their innocence and freedom, their gentleness, pure essence and unconditional forgiveness; for one can only be a prisoner of one’s self-image, and a free man can walk unshackled in jail, just as citizens of a free country may be prisoners of the fear lurking within their thoughts.

When you pass a hospital, bless its patients in their present wholeness, for even in their suffering, their wholeness awaits discovery within them. When your eyes behold a man in tears or seemingly broken by life, bless him in his vitality and joy, for the material senses present but the inverted image of the ultimate splendor and perfection that only the inner eye beholds.

It is impossible to bless and judge at the same time. So hold constantly as a deep, hallowed, intoned thought the desire to bless, for truly then shall you become a peacemaker, and one day you shall behold, everywhere, the very face of God.

P.S. And of course, above all, do not forget to bless the utterly beautiful person YOU are.

A few Points.

Attitude is everything. It's much easier to face the day if you do so with a good attitude. I don't believe you need movies like "The Secret" to affirm this, though I'm not dissing on the film. I think it's something that really is just a matter of common sense. If you believe you can't do something, you're setting yourself up for failure. Likewise if you believe you can do something, you'll probably succeed. Blessing others helps us to maintain a positive outlook.

All talks of Karma aside, I believe there is another reason these ideas are important. If you spend your mental energy thinking positive, it's going to register on a subconscious level, either for you or someone else. It can change our thinking, our body language, and in turn drastically change our interactions with people.

This book serves to remind us that at our core we are all connected. This connection causes us to be a part of something greater than ourselves. Call it what you want, love, god, spirit, prana, infinity, nirvana, human potential, whatever it is, I believe it's real, and it's powerful.

We have two choices. We can condemn and judge each other, treating our fellow brothers and sisters horribly; forgetting that in the process we're only serving to alienate and hurt ourselves. OR, instead of just sitting around arguing, judging and feeding our obese egos; we can instead open our hearts and minds, and build up that spark of good which exists in everyone. Let's lift each other up, instead of tearing each other down.

Thanks for reading, and may you be blessed with all the virtues, love and joy that life has to offer and be a light for others.

reply to post by bekisu

Thank you.
Whatever you send to others you are sending to yourself.
Whatever happens say thank you, it is the best mantra.
Here is a gift for you:
youtu.be...

Namaste.

I read this earlier today but wanted to come back and comment great thread OP.
I am glad you decided to write this and it really is as simple as that, to change all those things around you which generate negative energy, your family, your house, your friends then stretch further and further, there really is no limit.

Some people who don't think they are worth the luck, actually need all they can get because they think they DON'T deserve it.

I have actually seen evidence for a blessing I did for my neighbours, whom seem to be in a very difficult stage in their relationship for one reason or the other. But I sent a very strong blessing to both equally and the next day she won some much needed money.

Was it me?
I don't care!
I'm happy for her just the same, he, on the other hand I think needs some more work/blessings.
It is my hope for something wonderful for him too, he's far too rough on himself.
He's buried in his negativity so deep he's creating enemies of friends, but I remain steadfast in my opinion that he's a good person regardless. He does not think he is worthy of good things, and all the good things are right in front of him. You can tell by looking at him, he is grey and tired and not well looking.

How can people be so scared of being happy?!
Boggles the mind....

ta op x a

I'm feeling this, I can't lie.

I believe in all types of ways to up lift your consciousness, I think praying is still good, don't pray to god but pray to yourself.

reply to post by bekisu

How can a blessing change the world? According to Pierre Pradervand, making the conscious choice to bless every person or being around you can truly make a world of difference in yourself and in others around you. In The Gentle Art of Blessing, Pradervand shows that the practice of blessing has the power to create more than just a renewed perspective. It unleashes tangible benefits throughout your entire life -- through your daily interactions, your life-long relationships, and in the way your approach your place in the world.

Pradervand describes blessing as genuinely wishing the best for another person through seeing their individual worth and honoring them for it. By looking at several different perspectives -- providing spiritual inspiration from Hinduism, Taoism, the Koran, the Bible, and other important spiritual sources -- The Gentle Art of Blessing explores the potential in shifting one's attitude from confrontation and negativity to acceptance and enthusiasm. A powerfully simple way of perceiving and shaping our surroundings, blessings can reflect the unconditional love and acceptance that is necessary for world -- and inner -- peace.

Source: pdfcast.org...

Change your vision and you change your reality.

What goes around comes around.

As above so below.

Yep, buying this book today, will need to budget it in but it's one of those rare gems I feel can inspire and change our current world.

It is impossible to bless and to judge at the same time. So hold constantly as a deep, hallowed, intoned thought that desire to bless, for truly then shall you become a peacemaker, and one day you shall, everywhere, behold the very face of God. - buttington

Originally posted by Itisnowagain
reply to post by bekisu

 

Thank you.
Whatever you send to others you are sending to yourself.
Whatever happens say thank you, it is the best mantra.
Here is a gift for you:
youtu.be...

Namaste.

edit on 2-4-2012 by Itisnowagain because: (no reason given)

Thank you very much. I agree about the power of gratitude. I will try that mantra you sent me. Have a good day and namaste to you as well.

This video describes the book and the song is "Sleep Song" by Secret Garden.

I found this very soothing and uplifting.



www.youtube.com...

This site is really uplifting: www.rainhummingbird.com...

Love is the answer, everything else is an illusion. - David Icke

Originally posted by AussieAmandaC
I read this earlier today but wanted to come back and comment great thread OP.
I am glad you decided to write this and it really is as simple as that, to change all those things around you which generate negative energy, your family, your house, your friends then stretch further and further, there really is no limit.

I think it's like that one saying goes, to change others we must change ourselves. This makes me wonder how many negative interactions or experiences are simply because someone is stuck in a rut and misinterprets something.

Some people who don't think they are worth the luck, actually need all they can get because they think they DON'T deserve it.

Heh. This makes me wonder if you saw my post about the lotto.

I have actually seen evidence for a blessing I did for my neighbours, whom seem to be in a very difficult stage in their relationship for one reason or the other. But I sent a very strong blessing to both equally and the next day she won some much needed money.

Was it me?
I don't care!
I'm happy for her just the same, he, on the other hand I think needs some more work/blessings.
It is my hope for something wonderful for him too, he's far too rough on himself.
He's buried in his negativity so deep he's creating enemies of friends, but I remain steadfast in my opinion that he's a good person regardless. He does not think he is worthy of good things, and all the good things are right in front of him. You can tell by looking at him, he is grey and tired and not well looking.

How can people be so scared of being happy?!
Boggles the mind....

ta op x a

I think it's awesome you took the time to send good thoughts their way. Some people need it desperately, I think the term buried in negativity is very fitting. It's not surprising though, we're surrounded by spiritual and emotional poison on a daily basis. It's good to look for the uplifting things.

Originally posted by NewerBeing
I'm feeling this, I can't lie.

I believe in all types of ways to up lift your consciousness, I think praying is still good, don't pray to god but pray to yourself.

I've always felt that god is a part of everyone. I don't see god as some dude sitting up in the clouds, that image never sat well with me. For me god the underlying fabric of creation, like when you take all of the infinite variables of the universe, all the consciousness, every bit of thought and matter and combine it together. God is infinity personified.

reply to post by ofhumandescent


Thanks, I will check this out. I agree with you about the love thing. That is something the author of the book gets into as well, kind of the whole point of it actually.

reply to post by ofhumandescent


I think it's is indeed a rare gem. It's not very often when I'm totally blown away by a book, inspired, and uplifted like I was with this. It's nice too that your money is also going to a good cause when you buy it.

good post, thanks OP, s&f for the blessings.

thought is as powerful as any action and in fact is prerequisite to any action by a sound mind. many people do not realize just how powerful thought is, it effects not only ourselves but also all life around us, even before or even if we choose to make it action.

reply to post by LittleBlackEagle


Thanks. I couldn't have said it any better. I believe that's why so many philosophies teach mindfulness and meditation, they knew about the power of thought.

reply to post by bekisu


Thank you!

Meditation (no thought) doesn't work well for my brain. I need to actively meditate for results. This gives me an active meditation I can do all day everyday.

Words cannot express how grateful I am to you for this.

Namaste

reply to post by Buddha1098


You're welcome, I found it helped me a lot in the same respects so I had to share it. You should look at some of the videos other users have posted on this thread as well, they are very nice. I like the Mooji mantra, it speaks from the soul.

Thank you so much for posting this I went to a online and bought one for my
mother in law who is going through a tough time right now I am sure this will help her!
Thanks again!

reply to post by starlitestarbrite


You're welcome, I'm glad I could help.

No sorry I didn't see the post about lotto.
I have very strong feelings about lotto, that it creates a desperation in people who think money is the answer.
We've all been told forever it is, but seriously it's not.
Lottos remind me of walking through a Casino and looking at the all the people sitting in row upon row of pokie machines, like sad little zombies, glassy eyed, non existent, it makes me sad really.

______________________________________________________


I wanted to add too, perhaps it's just me I don't know, that when I started to become 'aware' there were dark and light energies buzzing desperately around including my house.
I combated this by walking around my house/all bedrooms/and property repeating, 'If you can not see love, you can not see me/my family/my house. Then there was calm, no nightmares for my kids, my husband settled (he WAS an angry man, so susceptible to dark energy)
Everything was calm, very calm and peaceful.

Then the other afternoon we were having a discussion and he gave me a look, like, 'yeah right' and I blew my stack, went off my guts, actually couldn't help myself I'm embarrassed to say. I don't get angry very often at all and I certainly never tantrum and yell and rant, but this afternoon I did. I saw his lack of faith in me as a weak point in the foundation of 'us', which is very dangerous imo.

I have always had extremes in emotions, but until recently couldn't really control it.
I calmed down and later that night I was sitting on our front verandah by myself, when a huge pure white cat with the biggest blackest eyes I have ever seen, wandered up the stairs and stared strait into the house down the hall. I was sitting no less than four feet from it, in the dark, it looked towards where I was and could not see me, it kept looking and shifting it's eyes to see, but until I stood up and moved towards it, it could not see me at all.

I think I sent out waves of pure fury earlier, I could feel it, and this thing came looking for the source, a cat I have never seen before the whole time we've lived here, freaked me out a little, but I was quite calm and collected by then and back to loving everything.

Coincidence coupled with an over-active imagination?
I don't know, but the eyes were no cats I've ever seen.

reply to post by AussieAmandaC


Well, to sum up the lotto post in essence I bought a lotto ticket, got a really, really BAD feeling, and tore it up.

Interesting story about the cat. I agree our thoughts and emotions can float around out there in the ethers and have the potential to manifest themselves in different ways.

Very inspiring thread and read.

A nice change of pace from the usual topics. I whole heartdly believe in what you speak of. From experience and a deeper knowledge I believe we all posses. I started taking this approach to life very recently and things have turned around fantasticly.

Not to hog the thread but a short story I would like to share is one where I unfortunatly did the opposite.
It was a hard time in life that I know we all expirience and I turned my frustrations towards negative energy or the anti bless if you will and the results of that still haunt me.... I will forever bear the guilt of what I know I did (a long sad and scary story for another day), but as of now have seen the good side of this blessing ability that we all posses and am now focusing as much of my being into blessing and helping my fellow man and woman. I hope your message rings loud and spreads OP so thumbs up and I hope you continue down this path off empathy and compassion.

Blessed and blessing
-citizenjack