The focus of my guided meditation this morning was: honouring one's life. It brought up many thoughts for me. Thoughts of relationships, my work in the community and the work I aspire to do, where I may spend my time in the most useful and productive ways, being honest with others, valuing the life I am living, developing myself intellectually and spiritually and offering unconditional love to others. My mind was scattered in many directions and then as I said my prayers, I thought about a prospective initiative toward which I would like to channel my energies. I thought about the effect that this small nucleus of like minded souls may have on the wider community, what are the ways in which their impact may be magnified? What is the magical essence that is needed to intensify their influence? And then dignity appeared. My mind tends to compartmentalise this virtue in terms of behaviours that involve sitting up straight, being graceful in the way one walks and talks, and wearing modest clothes. All of these practices are elements of dignity but I am learning that its effect is far wider. The card states that dignity is a sense of worthiness and respect. I understand that to include myself and others. When I take the time to see the value and worth in someone else, the manner in which I treat them is enhanced. I am polite, curious, friendly and kind. By contrast, when I do not take the time to see the value in someone my manner toward them is distant, superior and dare I say, contemptible. It is useful for me to set my thoughts out in this way as it helps me to see the whole spectrum of my behaviour. I aim to strive to always see worth and value and realise that it exists and is visible in all of us. When I do not see it, the fault lies with me and not with the person with whom I may be interacting. When people first come together to work on a project, having never worked together before and perhaps never even having met one another previously, the first impressions and initial exchanges are key to setting the tone for effective cohesion. We must work hard to shed our prejudices and assumptions, As when we can set an environment of acceptance, love and kindness, when times of inevitable disagreement or difference of opinion arise the foundation for tolerance and understanding has been firmly established. We are less critical with those we love. What I glean from this then is that a necessary ingredient to a team desiring to be effective and influential in a community is to cultivate a culture of dignity.
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