Kindness

[Louisabell]

I am pondering on the subject of kindness and also if there is a difference in between kindness and loving-kindness.

Good question. For me, there is a difference between the two. I interpret kindness as an extension of the act of accepting another. To be truly kind to someone, you want to put them at ease, make them feel like they belong and are acceptable as they are. This is not to say that someone's faults need to be completely ignored, but that there is an attempt to be accommodating, and to not judge the other for their faults. To be kind is to also give a generosity of interpretation to the words and behaviour of the other, I believe. There is an acknowledgement that we are all different, and can act in strange ways, but if one assumes a positive intent then deeper friendship can build.

I think kindness also stems from our genetic past, where the feelings of belonging were critical to our survival in a tribal group. If there were rising tensions in the group, bellicose or cold attitudes, then you would register that as a potential threat of a fight breaking out or a step towards ostracization. So, I think it is a really nice thing to do to someone to just extend the feeling that they are acceptable in your presence, I think this is what that feeling of warmth stems from, and I think it is biochemically rooted in our brains as well. One can show kindness in many ways, and I think it can be culturally dependent as well. Just little signs of appreciation and positive acknowledgement is enough to show some kindness I believe.  

Where I see the difference of kindness and loving-kindness is in the degree of acceptance. You can be kind to someone because they are another supporter of your favourite team, maybe you walk past someone with the same team jersey and decide to smile and wave. You can be kind to your coworkers because it makes for a more enjoyable workday. But loving-kindness, I believe, is expressing the full acceptance of another as a being of unity. It is unconditional and it is all encompassing. It is saying that no matter what you do, what you think, what you say, I will always accept you and I will always see the best in you.

Would you understand this as saying that loving-kindness is a default state of the One Infinite Creator ?

Perhaps it is only an aspect of the Creator, but may be indicative of the felt experience of the Creator. But then again, this is unique to each individual.

It seems to me that Ra is saying that our Logos is using kindness to demonstrate that the right-hand path is the most efficient. I wonder how exactly it accomplishes that demonstration?

I think the Logos does this mainly through our environment and biological make-up. It feels good to be accepted, it is beneficial to our health and our ability to thrive. So, the STO path is probably easier on our bodies and minds.

Then without kindness there is no happiness?

I would say that with happiness, kindness is a natural offshoot. Then kindness felt back can increase happiness, so it is a positive feedback loop. I don't particularly think this is valid for the STS path though, especially if you're a sadist.

"there is a distinct difference between pleasing another and serving another". This to me suggests that kindness is only truly useful if genuine. This is not an excuse to throw wisdom in people's faces in an unkind way. It just means to not hide truth behind kindness. We can still tell our truth in a kind way, but always in a truthful way as well. These are not mutually exclusive. Truth and kindness.

There is certainly the reality of having to speak hard truths, but doing so in a way which honors the person's sensitivities and intelligence, with also a consideration of offering support for any emotional impact that the truth may have. However, there is also over-sharing on one's (often prone to error) perceptions of another, so in some cases, it may be more responsible to withhold one's personal interpretations of another. The ability to do this, could also be seen as a form of kindness, perhaps.