Kindness Creates Internal Powers
Kindness Creates Internal Powers
By Jody R Weiss
We have all grown up with parents and teachers exalting “kindness” as the right thing to do to get ahead and not get into trouble. We internalized that being “kind” is good and being “unkind” is bad. However, this Judeo/Christian view of kindness, of being good or bad keeps the focus on why kindness matters as an external function; when, in fact, it is both.
In the tradition of yoga, kindness, or non-violence, is practiced as an internal “power” in the same way truthfulness and non-stealing are practiced. These practices are part of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and, when practiced consistently, create a strong, reliable internal character.
As an example, should one practice non-violence in word, thought, or deed, people and animals will feel safe with you; they become more vulnerable and tender, and their hearts will open up wide. You, then, possess the “power” to give comfort and safety to those around them. This is truly an internal power.
If you practice non-hoarding or non-stealing; not even a conversation that you weren’t invited into or the taking of a paper clip that is not yours, people open up their treasures to you and trust you with very sacred, private things. This, too, is an internal power that you have developed. This commitment to non-stealing strengthens your character while providing leadership and safety to those around you.
Now let’s look at truthfulness. One can never be fully truthful; what they describe as universally truthfulness is a challenging concept since we only have our own point of view and not the complete picture of reality. However, stating things as clearly, transparently, and truthfully as you possibly can strengthens your word. People know that when you say you will do something, you will live and die by it. Keeping your word and stating things as truthfully as possible is a power that is undeniable. You are relied upon, trusted, and called upon for great tasks in life with a commitment to truthfulness as your underlying practice. And, here’s the thing… exaggerating, embellishing, inflating, twisting the truth, only seeing one side of the “truth”, withholding information, minimizing others… all of these behaviors whittle away your ability to become truly established in truthfulness. Truthfulness is a superpower when one commits to being authentic in life.
Just like we go to the gym to create strong muscles, practicing truthfulness, non-violence, and non-stealing builds internal “powers” that open doors and builds a path of self-respect and love.
