How To Be Comfortable With Everyone — by Shinzen Young

[Welles]

"It’s very common for people on a meditative or spiritual path to develop a kind of sensitivity to the poison and pain of others. Sometimes it’s formulated with the phrase “I pick up all this negativity.” Sometimes it’s formulated with the phrase “People drain my energy.” A closely related perception runs something like this: “Now that I've developed some spiritual maturity, I find it difficult to relate to old friends/family/ordinary people; they so cluelessly cause themselves unneeded suffering; I no longer have much in common with them.”

Regarding such sentiments, there are several things to keep in mind. First: They represent a temporary stage that the practitioner eventually grows out of. Second: When you do grow out of it, it’s replaced by its exact opposite: the more clueless and messed up people are, the more you enjoy being around them. You can make the transition from that temporary stage to its opposite by realizing this:"

The 'this' is very enlightened.

How To Be Comfortable With Everyone — by Shinzen Young

https://www.shinzen.org/how-to-be-comfo ... -everyone/A

[Sandy]

That's a wonderful article! Thank you Welles.
I find it a very useful, helping me to understand something I've been pondering.
With Love,
Sandy

[happyrain]

this can be a challenge when dealing with friends that feel they know you better than you know yourself. i just had a good friend of mine say it's not up to me so say what i am. i simply told him i didn't find a particular joke funny and he thought i was mad for voicing my opinion- i tried explaining i was feeling relaxed and that's when i was told it wasn't up to me to say how i felt. ... i love the guy but it's this kind of attitude that makes it difficult to be completely comfortable around him. i suppose this applies to other people as well but it seems we take it more personal when we feel closer or have spent more time with someone? dudes like a brother to me so it makes sense *shrug* i notice my mother has challenges with some of her friends too. guess i need to reread this article...
well i read it and i'm just not sure how this applies to this particular situation... maybe i'm just tired. end of the day it's best not to take things personal and remember the good hearted nature behind those we do care for. sometimes easier said than done.

see ya!

[Sandy]

I definitely needed to hear this today, Eric....

maybe i'm just tired. end of the day it's best not to take things personal and remember the good hearted nature behind those we do care for. sometimes easier said than done.

Thank you...
xxSandy