Think Well of Everyone
"All that we are is the result of what we have thought; it is founded upon our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him."
...Ultimately,
the basis of thinking well of everyone is to truly think well of ourselves.
When we recognize and identify with our own greatness, negative thoughts
and emotions, such as anger, hatred, and revenge, simply have no place to
sit. Our "house" is so clean that there is no place for the bugs and mice
of negative thinking. There is nothing for the cockroaches of judgment and
criticism to eat. With faith and compassion, we seek to love and serve, rather
than to criticize and judge.
In fact, thinking negatively about others actually affects you more than
it affects them. For example, if you imagine an evil action, thought, or
plot in someone else's mind - then whether there actually is an evil intent
in that person's mind, there is most certainly now one in yours! Remember,
if it's in your mind, it's in your mind!
Obviously, if we always try to assume the best about people, our naïve
innocence may be disappointed and proved wrong at times. However, at least
our minds will be creating positive images instead of negative ones. It is
more conducive for spiritual happiness to think well of others and sometimes
have that trust broken, than it is to distrust from the start. Think well
of others, think well of yourself, and enjoy the gentle equanimity of spiritual
happiness.
...more of this chapter is available in the book, "Secrets of Spiritual Happiness," by Sharon Janis.
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