It’s all too easy for us to slip into feeling like we’re alone. In our moments of sadness or frustration, it’s common to feel as though we don’t have help and we’re all on our own. Sometimes we feel as though we’ve always been alone.
The truth is, there are countless beings who have guided us to where we are today, right here and right now, even if we don’t recognize them.
We came into this world thanks to a mother who brought us here and kept us alive in our earliest moments. Along the way we’ve been supported by family, teachers, friends, and even strangers.
One small compliment from an acquaintance, or one grand criticism from a loved one may have changed the course of our lives, along with everything in between. Even those whom we find challenging, or those who we deem to have negatively impacted our lives, could be labeled as our teachers and thereby our helpers.
We have never been alone, and we’re not alone right now. Mindfulness helps us recognize how much we are truly supported and cared for by all the beings in the world around us.
The following meditation and mindfulness exercises can help us notice our helpers.
Meditation - Noticing your Helpers
Mindfulness Worksheet - Noticing your Helpers
Take a moment to reflect on your meditation today. If you'd like; In a journal or on a blank sheet of paper write down your experience or answer the questions.
What Did You Notice?
Describe your experience with the meditation in general
Describe the process of looking back at your past and selecting your helpers
What feelings or emotions arose?
Have there been helpers in your life that you didn’t always recognize, or whom you took for granted?
Do you carry any resentments towards people you thought should have helped you but didn’t?
Have you ever thought of someone as unhelpful, but then later changed your mind?
We often think of our helpers as those with whom we have positive relationships, do you have any helpers who challenged you, frustrated you, or caused you grief? Is that possible?
Is it possible that some of our helpers are ‘accidental’ helpers? They didn’t mean to help us, but they did?
Is it possible that every single person we interact with is one of our helpers?
Are you ever truly all alone?
Who have you helped in the past? Would you know who they are?
Who do you help right now?
If you could thank just one of your helpers today, who would it be and what would you say?
Mindfulness Exercise
To become more mindful of your helpers, try the following exercise. As you go about your day, try to see everyone everywhere as your helper.
Of course, the barista making your coffee, or the person who held the door open is helping you. But so too, is the person who cut you off in traffic, or the frustrating person at work. They are helping you see there’s room to practice patience.
If you can hold awareness of all beings as your helpers, what changes for you throughout the day?
Review
Our culture worships and praises the individual. We point to athletes and entrepreneurs as examples of individuals who achieved things all on their own. We like to think that we too get things done on our own, but this is not the case for them, and this is not the case for us.
Each of us has had countless helpers in our lives, and these helpers are always with us. We are always in relationship with others, and never alone.
By becoming more mindful of the helpers in our life, we begin to understand how we are all interconnected. We begin to understand our own role in each of our relationships. Ultimately, we become more grateful and also more kind. We become the type of person who is best able to help others.
If you'd like to print the worksheet for the questions, I have put it in a drop box folder, just follow this link. Please let me know if you have any questions or problems with the link.
Until the next time,
Jai Bhagwan,