The practice of electronic satya

[celeste.kirsh]

    I think one of the most useful aspects of this training so far is having one of the precepts at forefront of my imagination all week. Problems, issues, challenges arise and when I am wearing a lens of that precept, I know that I approach that situation differently...and I hope in a more evolved way. Have you found that as well?

    This week at school, my a fellow teacher received what can only be described as a nasty email from another teacher in our department...this email was not intended for her eyes. Maybe this has happened to you before? An email is written saying, perhaps, a little too much about someone and it ends up in their inbox simply because it was mistakenly sent to them. Yikes.
   
    While consoling my colleague, it dawned on me: this is something I could have very easily done. I’ve been caught in my circle of friends, at work, and especially with my family, saying “unhelpful” things about another person and it ending up in their metaphorical inbox. I have always prided myself on being open and able to speak my mind, but the other side of satya, I was reminded this week, is also about repairing our own filters and knowing what not to say.

    I think that diagram that we were asked to include as our screen saver would make a fantastic tattoo for me. If I actually had tattoos, that is. I think it's the kind of diagram that we should be giving out to students in school and testing them on in the school yard; having right speech be something we learn alongside reading and writing. Maybe then we'll all have a better chance at mastering this and doing less damage to our communities.

    I’m wondering what everyone’s thoughts are about the pre-step of “right thinking” before we speak. I wonder if we think an abundance of unbeneficial thoughts, are just more likely to let them escape out of our mouth?  Or can we avoid thinking those unhelpful things and is it just more important to see them as just thoughts that come and go and take away their power that way?

[otoolecmc]

Hi Celeste.
First I want to say I laughed out loud at the idea of the diagram as a
tattoo! I love it! I had been thinking about getting a silver ring
with satya inscribed as a constant reminder, but I think it would be
more useful to have the chart at my fingertips. Or on my fingertips,
if I did that sort of thing.

This has been a real struggle for me. My first thought about the
question you posed about right thinking and right speech is that they
feel too close too untangle…at least for me. My guess is that over
time, through a great deal of work, there can be a shift in thinking
just by one’s mouth and ears working differently. I’m thinking of it
as what you “see” or pay attention to changes, so what you think
changes, and eventually what you speak changes. Making the whole
thing a little more natural and less labor intensive. As I say, this
is just a guess ☺

I have been very surprised by what a challenge this precept has been
for me. It seems ridiculous, but I almost feel like this is moving too
quickly. I feel like I could work on just this for months. And
specifically on what to do with True – Beneficial – Not accepted….
Then what? I listened to the google video group and was reminded of
writing something down and putting it on the altar. I would agree the
simple act of writing takes some of that corrosive energy out of your
body. However, there are A LOT of things on my altar. Everything is
stuck in my throat.

For now, I will just keep sitting and be patient. I suspect that the
problem is “up the river”, and just an awareness of how poor and
inauthentic my communication in this particular relationship is, is a
solid step. As you say, using the precept as a lens, one sees what was
hidden.

Thanks for sharing, Celeste.
Take care,
Colleen

On Dec 15, 6:18 pm, "celeste.kirsh" <celeste.ki...@gmail.com> wrote:
>     I think one of the most useful aspects of this training so far is

> having one of the precepts at forefront of my imagination all week. *Problems,

> issues, challenges arise and when I am wearing a lens of that precept, I
> know that I approach that situation differently...and I hope in a more

> evolved way.* Have you found that as well?

>
>     This week at school, my a fellow teacher received what can only be
> described as a nasty email from another teacher in our department...this
> email was not intended for her eyes. Maybe this has happened to you before?
> An email is written saying, perhaps, a little too much about someone and it
> ends up in their inbox simply because it was mistakenly sent to them. Yikes.
>

>     While consoling my colleague, it dawned on me: *this is something I
> could have very easily done.* I’ve been caught in my circle of friends, at

> work, and especially with my family, saying “unhelpful” things about
> another person and it ending up in their metaphorical inbox. I have always
> prided myself on being open and able to speak my mind, but the other side
> of satya, I was reminded this week, is also about repairing our own filters
> and knowing what not to say.
>
>     I think that diagram that we were asked to include as our screen saver
> would make a fantastic tattoo for me. If I actually had tattoos, that is. I
> think it's the kind of diagram that we should be giving out to students in
> school and testing them on in the school yard; having right speech be
> something we learn alongside reading and writing. Maybe then we'll all have
> a better chance at mastering this and doing less damage to our communities.
>
>     I’m wondering what everyone’s thoughts are about the pre-step of “right

> thinking” before we speak. *I wonder if we think an abundance of

> unbeneficial thoughts, are just more likely to let them escape out of our

> mouth? * Or can we avoid thinking those unhelpful things and is it just