“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.” Dalai Lama
For as long as I can remember I have had an inner demon that enjoys making me feel uneasy about everyday tasks, or can make an exciting day into an anxious day or makes me worry about not having anything to worry about. It was around the age of 17-18 that I remember hitting an all time low and feeling so helpless I called the beyond blue help line and cried to a total stranger about how lost I was feeling. I can’t remember exactly what the advice was she gave me but she did recommend a book for me to read and it was while I was looking for that book that I stumbled across my now favourite book. The Art of Happiness by Dalai Lama XIV, Howard C. Cutler
I was captivated from the first page and it gave me a sense of peace and hope. It doesn’t focus on the concept of happiness but instead teaches you habits to reshape your mind to make each day easier happier. It was that book that made me gravitate towards learning more about Buddhism so I studied it daily and implemented a lot of their principles into daily life.
The 3 key elements of Buddhism are :-
To lead a moral life.
To be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions.
To develop wisdom and understanding.
I can honestly say I try to incorporate the 3 key elements of Buddhism into my daily life and hope my children do the same. I’m definitely not Buddhist but I would consider myself “Buddhish” and I think everyone has the potential to be too. I love that Buddhism is more about personal spiritual development rather than worshipping a God. If we could all practice compassion, mindfulness and share our wisdom, I’m sure we would all feel happier and live together in peace.
Finally here is the mantra I like to say with my children in the morning and I think it’s a nice little reminder for all ages. “Take good actions, say good words and think good thoughts.”
Thanks for reading ☮