We learn of Kangyur that his disregard for status of any sort led him to abandon his position in the monastery and take up the life of a wandering hermit. He visited many different places in Eastern Tibet to receive teachings from various teachers. Although he never ceased to study and practice, this second period of his life was characterized by his extraordinary humanity and his work in helping others, in particular the four activities he cherished most: caring for the chronically sick (he was a skilled doctor), looking after the aged, caring for orphans, and preserving and spreading the teachings.
We have this same opportunity. We are all masters of our individual sphere. Every person we meet; every interaction we have is an opportunity to open the heart. We know what this means without any special training. We need no degree, or religion or special education. Kirpal Singh once said, "How can we tell if we are developing spiritually? We can tell by how well we tolerate others."
When we are able to love and create emotional and psychological safety for others through the opened heart, we have gone beyond tolerance and we become masters of love and kindness in our individual sphere. There is nothing more important or greater that we can do in the world than this one thing.
John Earle is the author of Waking Up, Learning What Your Life is Trying to Teach You and runs the site Waking Up Online. He is a spiritual teacher and counselor specializing in relationship and interpersonal communication. His clients include individuals, couples and institutions. He has produced and led numerous workshops and retreats. His personal experience of a great variety of teachers has given him a broad and inclusive spiritual perspective. A hospice volunteer for over 30 years, he and his wife Babbie recently started a hospice in Central America. This is a picture of a Kangyur Rinpoche, who was a great Tibetan teacher and scholar during the first half of his life (he died in 1975). He was the real thing; a true lover. Wherever he went you can be sure kindness, love and compassion were present. If you don't believe this, please take a moment to look into his eyes and observe his smile. We learn of Kangyur that his disregard for status of any sort led him to abandon his position in the monastery and take up the life of a wandering hermit. He visited many different places in Eastern Tibet to receive teachings from various teachers. Although he never ceased to study and practice, this second period of his life was characterized by his extraordinary humanity and his work in helping others, in particular the four activities he cherished most: caring for the chronically sick (he was a skilled doctor), looking after the aged, caring for orphans, and preserving and spreading the teachings. We have this same opportunity. We are all masters of our individual sphere. Every person we meet; every interaction we have is an opportunity to open the heart. We know what this means without any special training. We need no degree, or religion or special education. Kirpal Singh once said, "How can we tell if we are developing spiritually? We can tell by how well we tolerate others." When we are able to love and create emotional and psychological safety for others through the opened heart, we have gone beyond tolerance and we become masters of love and kindness in our individual sphere. There is nothing more important or greater that we can do in the world than this one thing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- John Earle is the author of Waking Up, Learning What Your Life is Trying to Teach You and runs the site Waking Up Online. He is a spiritual teacher and counselor specializing in relationship and interpersonal communication. His clients include individuals, couples and institutions. He has produced and led numerous workshops and retreats. His personal experience of a great variety of teachers has given him a broad and inclusive spiritual perspective. A hospice volunteer for over 30 years, he and his wife Babbie recently started a hospice in Central America.
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