Many of us these days practice yoga, meditate, try to eat healthily, though succumbing occasionally to the lures of potato chips. And not the “natural” kind. (Actually, there is nothing “natural” about a potato chip!). We are in the pursuit of a happier life and hope to make the world a little better place.
But moving through our busy and full lives, it is often challenging to bring our highest values into our moment-to-moment conversations and interactions in repetitive mundane situations.
So here’s a mantra I try to employ whenever I interact with any human being, either on the phone or in person. I try to use this mantra whether or not they are related to me or not, whether or not I like them or not, whether or not I will ever see or talk to them again.
Simply put, it is this:
Everyone is Buddha.
Yes, everyone. That person who drives you crazy is Buddha. Yes, the homeless man soliciting at the stop light is Buddha. Yes, your two year old having a temper tantrum is Buddha, yes, your mother is Buddha.
And here is the kicker: It does not matter if the phrase is true on any level.
What does matter is that when I employ this mantra, I shift. I become softer, more receptive, and more compassionate.
This shift may be small, but it helps me. It helps me to hear and to receive every human being I interact with with respect.
And while it may seem that using this mantra is about the other person, it is first actually about me and what is going on inside of me.
I like how I feel, how I act and what I say a lot more when I remember this phrase than when I don’t.
I have a greater chance of being happy with my interactions when I remember everyone is Buddha.
And secondarily, it may help the other person enjoy their day as well when I shift in this way.
Simple. Practical. And a powerful tool to shift you and the world. Try it.
