Driving to School (part 2)

The next day Jimmy and I got into the car and Jimmy asked if we could listen to another podcast. I was very happy to say yes. This particular podcast dealt with integrating practice into the work place. The teacher was using some words that Jimmy was unfamiliar with, so he had questions during the podcast which were very thought provoking  

Jimmy: What does integration mean? 

Johnny: An act of learning something and then applying it into an integral whole. The lecturer, Gil Fronsdal, was talking about taking what you learn from mediation practice and applying it into work. Jimmy, the goal of spiritual practice is to develop yourself so you can help those around you. By becoming your best, you will begin to positively affect everyone within your life. It is a win/win situation and osmosis is action. 

Jimmy: That sounds good—what does Osmosis mean? 

Johnny: Osmosis is—well—(he stumped me on how to describe this one so I used an example). If you throw a shirt into water, the shirt takes on the water so the water and shirt become one. When Gil uses the word osmosis he is referring to you becoming part of something by simply being around it. More recently, Jimmy has made comments about how I am beginning to say things and act like his Mom. I used this example so he would further understand osmosis. Because I am around Mom all the time, I will naturally by process of osmosis, take on her qualities and vice versa. I also told Jimmy that I would become like him because we spend a lot of time together. Jimmy, that is why we must pay attention to the company we keep. If we are around people who are not acting with loving kindness, we will eventually begin acting the same way by process of osmosis. We continued to listen and then the word ethical came up. 

Jimmy: What does ethical mean?

Johnny: I had to think about this—let’s just say it is doing the right thing, not just for you but also those around you. Acting in an ethical manner means that you will act with loving kindness and if you are placed in situation where you cannot act with loving kindness you will remove yourself from the situation instead of potentially hurting someone else. Once removed from the situation, review the situation, bringing understanding to what happened. 

Jimmy: That makes sense. 

My children are my greatest teachers. Jimmy is at an age where he is asking lots of questions. Many times these questions are stopping me in my tracks and requiring that I contemplate words, ideas and thoughts. 

We have teachers all around us if we would simply pay attention. Our teacher is the present moment and what the present moment presents and our reaction to this presentation. We can learn a lot about ourselves if we just stop and listen.