My Freedom Is In Your Hands

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Hand-drawn art by Rupali Bhuva
Image of the Week
Mi Libertad está en tus manos
---por Jacques Verduin
¿Qué pasaría si este virus tuviera una agenda oculta además de propagar el miedo sobre cómo podría comprometer nuestra salud? ¿Y si, escondido en su impulso de ser contagioso, hubiera otro mensaje, instando a ser escuchado?
Ya sea que vengamos corriendo o siendo arrastrados, este virus nos enseña a considerarnos unos a otros de una manera completamente nueva. Al igual que a los presos, se nos pide que renunciemos a nuestra libertad personal para proteger a la sociedad de nosotros mismos. Tenemos una breve muestra, con estas órdenes temporales de 'refugio en el lugar', de lo que podría ser estar confinado durante décadas. Considera cómo es ser anciano o tener problemas de salud y estar atrapado dentro de una prisión. ¿Cómo te sientes al ser castigad@ por estar enferm@?
¿Qué pasaría si, después de que este virus se hubiese ido, supiéramos que había cambiado nuestro ADN de tal manera que hubiese alterado para siempre nuestra capacidad de considerarnos unos a otros? ¿Considerarnos unos a otros ya no solo como extraños, sino de una manera nueva, como más cerca de nuestros corazones?
Me lavo las manos por ti.
Cada vez que me lavo las manos, pienso en ti, en el otro, como en mí mismo Y sonrío.
Mi libertad está en tus manos y la tuya en las mías.
Cada mimo que pongo en este gesto, lo dedico al misterio de ti, el otro, que me invita a conectar contigo.
Extiendo la mano para abrazarte y regocijarme en cómo el agua nos bendice a ambos en esta práctica.
Ya no puedo ignorarte.
Ya no puedo lavarme las manos de ti y de tu destino. me lavo las manos por tu destino;
Mi libertad está en tus manos, exactamente donde pertenece.
No controlamos las circunstancias. Eso es algo que seguro que estamos aprendiendo en este momento. Pero podemos tomar nuestra posición en medio de las circunstancias, en medio de todo lo que nos pide ser considerad@s y reconsiderad@s en estos tiempos que cambian rápidamente. Que esa sea una postura tranquila, arraigada y amorosa y que ayude a las personas a encontrar su postura, incluidas aquellas personas que nunca has tocado o conocido.
Mi disposición a considerar tu destino anuncia mi capacidad de madurar como ser humano. Me libera. Tal vez la redención no sea un proceso que ocurre después de que todo se mide minuciosamente y se hace la cuenta final. Tal vez sea una cualidad de consideración en la que entramos en cada momento, por elección y solo por elección. Cada momento que me ofende tiene en sí la gracia de la redención. Todo lo que requiere es mi voluntad de encontrarla.
Todos somos seres humanos, tú y yo. Todos somos seres humanos, buscando estar seguros y volver a casa unos con otros, y ser perdonados ahora, ya, por cada ofensa cometida y cada falla pendiente por venir.
Preguntas semilla para la reflexión: ¿Cómo te relacionas con la noción de que cada momento de ofensa lleva consigo la gracia de la redención? ¿Puedes compartir una historia personal de un momento en que te diste cuenta de tu responsabilidad hacia los demás y la de ellos hacia ti? ¿Qué te ayuda a recordar considerar el destino de los demás al tomar tus decisiones?
Jacques Verduin es un experto en la materia de atención plena, justicia restaurativa, inteligencia emocional y violencia transformadora. Padre, organizador comunitario y maestro, es director fundador y Ministro de Transformación de "Insight-Out", que ayuda a los presos y jóvenes desafiados a crear el cambio personal y sistémico para transformar la violencia y el sufrimiento en oportunidades de aprendizaje y curación.
Seed Questions for Reflection

How do you relate to the notion that every moment of offense carries within it the grace of redemption? Can you share a personal story of a time you became aware of your responsibility toward others, and theirs toward you? What helps you remember to consider the fate of others when making your decisions?

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Add Your Reflection

21 Past Reflections
DD
Mar 5, 2022
Further reflection: I don't think considering others is giving up one's freedom -- each of us is free to be a team player or not, and there are consequences to either choice. Your fate isn't in the other's hands -- we influence each other, not determine each other. I think every moment of everything carries within it the grace of redemption. More accurately, I believe the grace of redemption is within me to embrace in any moment. I, not an event, frees me. When I am offended, I have the opportunity to be forgiving which is freeing. I've long been aware of my responsibility toward others, that is, aware that I am able to respond as I choose to the other and to what is happening. Over the years, my understanding that we are one became deeper in me. What helps me to remember to consider the fate of others is my awareness that we are one, what I do affects everyone, and my wanting to have a positive effect.
LI
Mar 3, 2022
This reading has touch me so deeply all week. It has awakened me to reflect on all the ways my behavior affects all of you. From the minutia in the privacy of my own home, to communal actions when I step outside. I feel responsible and connected to you and for you. All of you.
LI
Liz Mar 3, 2022
AM
Mar 2, 2022
Many times, even today, I feel like it is not my responsibility, and I didn't do it to suffer this. And I realised nobody did. Human consciousness realised the way it did, it did it the best it knew at given point of time, and we ought to do the same. We might not have created the world as it is, but we can make it better.
ME
me Mar 5, 2022
Amen.🌱
Mar 2, 2022
Beautiful! It captures the big issues we are reaching for to give meaning to our lives, to go beyond self-absorption. I am grateful, GRATEFUL for this reframing-Sending it to a friend who feels sooo isolated in her (larger) medical challenges.
AN
Mar 2, 2022
It is well said that "Charity begins at Home", the baby-steps to be responsible towards others. Hopefully the virus will foster the feeling "the world is one family" !
BH
Bob Helgesen
Mar 1, 2022
I listen to my wife’s voice recordings of these weekly readings every week before she submits them to awaken.org. This one hits the nail on the head in today’s world. Everything is not about us but about the greater good. When did our culture bring about such a narcissistic society, this ‘it’s all about me’ mentality? No consideration for our fellow human beings or even our fellow inhabitants of this planet. The mantras we hear: “Me. My freedoms. My rights. No obligations to humanity but what’s in it for me?”
I imagine the people who subscribe here are not of that mindset but why are so many others? What happened? Where did the train derail? When did we stop caring about each other? This piece indeed makes me mindful that all my actions have a greater affect on all of you, all of humanity.
BA
Barbara Mar 2, 2022
Dear Bob, this is it exactly! Where has the consideration and compassion for our common humanness gone? I think you are right in that those who are here on this site have a deeper understanding or wish to understand more and connect more to those around us. We all need to be that "light" and example to plant seeds of love and compassion in the hearts of our fellow caretakers of this beautiful earth. Blessings~ Namaste~
DD
David Doane Mar 4, 2022
I'm think what happened is we got into this age of entitlement by way of parents' undisciplined love for their children, wanting to give their children everything, resulting in children learning it's all about them. I think what you call the 'all about me' mentality is the result of misguided distorted love.
ME
me Mar 5, 2022
Amen David! Spot on!
WL
Wendy Loftus
Mar 1, 2022
As a nurse I have always believed in the power of PPE for myself and others, but I am learning that there are other ways to be responsible for others such as active bystanding and/or being brave enough to give another opinion or even to make a statement such as "I'm not sure about that." Usually I am so non-confrontational that I just "shut up" and avoid. It's very inauthentic. I want to be a more authentic human being.
BS
Barbara Schutt Mar 1, 2022
Great points, Wendy, and I would add that just being a good listener is a wonderful support as well. Validating the other person. Blessings~
ME
me Mar 6, 2022
Amen and Amen Wendy and Barbara!
BG
Mar 1, 2022
see the sky - see the birds - see the other - feel out wholeness
DD
Feb 27, 2022
I believe we are essentially and inseparably interrelated and interdependent. Everything I do affects you, and everything you do affects me. In offending you I offend me. In forgiving you I forgive me. I am redeemed by living our oneness. As a child I became aware of my responsibility toward others and vice verse as a rule of religion. At a much later age I heard statements that 'we are one' and 'I look across at the other and see me' and 'there is no other' and 'we sink or swim together' as facts of life, not as rules. To fight those facts is to fight life. What helps me remember to consider the fate of others in making decisions is to accept those facts of life, let them sink deeply into me, and allow them to be part of my living and relating.
BS
Barbara Schutt Mar 1, 2022
I believe this as well….interconnected beings. I am in you and you are in me. If another is suffering, we suffer as well in their pain.
ME
me Mar 5, 2022
I/we very much see this playing out in our world today. My heart is broken these days … . I hear you🌱
JP
Feb 25, 2022
We all are interbeings. The face of intrabeing is also the face of interbeing. What I do has an impact on the other and what the other has also an impact on me. We all are intertwined. If I am aware of my wrong doing and do not defend it and ask for forgiveness I get redeemed of my wrong doing. Every moment of offense carries within it the grace of redemption. We all are facing the wave of COVID19 virus. If I do not take precautions such as taking vaccines and a booster it may have an impact on others who come in contact with me. We do not live on an isolated island. We all are connected with others. As I am 96 years old I am more susceptible to getting the virus. By taking vaccinations and a booster shot I am protecting myself and also protecting others coming in contact with me. Resposibility is the other side of the face of freedom. In that way my freedom is in your hand of responsibily and your freedom is in my hand of responsibility. Sadly for some people freedom is a one way... View full comment
BS
Barbara Schutt Mar 1, 2022
Dear Jagdish, You and the above poster are very wise and I appreciate both of your comments and reflections. We must all be responsible for ourselves but also for alleviating others’ suffering in any way we can. Things are getting better with Covid so I am grateful and people can soon once again, connect with humanity in ways we are meant to. Meaningful and spiritually connected because that is what our nature needs. Be well, dear friend! Namaste 🕉️
ME
me Mar 5, 2022
Amen. Namaste. Always.