Jul 29, 2009 20:39
Hello there
In certain cultures people greet each other with a little bow and their hands pressed together in a prayer position. This is meant to convey that one acknowledges the divinity in the other. In our culture we greet each other by shaking hands, a gesture meant to convey the cheery thought, "See? I'm not holding a weapon".
Personally, I like the divinity "hi, how are ya" a lot better. In fact, sometimes I like to walk down the street and remind myself that each and every person I see is of divine origin and on a journey that is unique, profound, tragic, joyous and, to them, immensely important (South station is also good for practicing this exercise). Now that's not to say that I don't often consider others as being mere speed bumps on my little drive through life, those whom I pass by with out the slightest thought(I'm human after all). I just find that when I make the slightest effort to acknowledge that spark of divinity in the people I meet, I feel better. Life is less threatening. I feel safer. More inclined to being open and loving. More inclined to leave my cynical wit firmly locked in the safety position.