All spiritual practices are a means to self-discovery. Everything we discover about ourselves enlarges our relationship with life and there is no end to these relationships, just as Real Life is endless.
Our willingness to work our way through the following twelve special practices — to strive to use these higher ideals in our relationships with others — will reward us with the Real Life our hearts longs for.
The main purpose of these special practices is to show us how to use each developing moment in our relationships with family, friends, and coworkers to consciously change our relationship with ourselves.
1. We can be as alert to what we can do to help someone else in any given moment, as we are critically aware of others for failing to notice our immediate needs.
2. We can let anyone who wants to psychologically defeat us have his victory, and do it without revealing that we chose to give him the last word.
3. In any moment of consequence we can be as willing to see that we may be wrong as we are convinced that we are always right.
4. At times when it is our “moment in the sun” — such as being acknowledged or applauded for a deed well done — if we have the choice, we can give the best or better portion away.
5. There can be times when we don’t tell someone everything we know about her problem, even if our understanding of it is better than hers.
6. When feeling displeased with someone, we don’t have to show our displeasure, and we can save any necessary correction for a later time.
7. There are times when the greatest strength (and kindness) one can possess is to allow another his weakness without pointing it out or otherwise punishing him for it.
8. We can do an act of kindness for another person without drawing attention to our deed, or to ourselves for having done it.
9. We can look for ways to make moments work to the advantage of someone else besides ourselves.
10. When gathered with friends or family, instead of competing for the spotlight, we can voluntarily help to shine it on someone whom we know its light will emotionally lift or otherwise encourage.
11. Even when we know that we are solidly in the right, rather than rub it in, we can sacrifice our righteousness.
12. Should a sarcastic or unkind remark pop into our minds to tease, torment, or in any way “trash” another person, we can swallow it first to see how it tastes before we dish it out.
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