The Cheer of All Hearts

In the cheer of all hearts I hear the echo of Thy bliss. In the friendship of all true hearts I discover Thy friendship. I rejoice as much in the prosperity of my brothers as I do my own prosperity. In helping others to be wise I increase my own wisdom. In the happiness of all I find my own happiness.

Metaphysical Meditations:

On Material Concerns,

Paramahansa Yogananda 

#

Years ago, a customer in my cab, a young man, started bitching about this or that as soon as he got in. I listened as best I could although it was very tiring. Before long I found that I was starting to think of all that I had to bitch about. When we got to where we were going he asked me a question in which the speed and wisdom of my answer to it, still resonates in my heart: he griped, “How do the people become such bitter old men?”

    “We start out young,” came out of my mouth.

    My response stopped him where he sat. It was as though a Zen Roshi had hit him against the side of the head with a bamboo bat and I was equally impacted. Before he left the cab he thanked me but didn’t leave a tip. I didn’t care about that because I had gotten my tip for the night and, though I hardly realized it then, that simple conversation would influence my thinking to this day. I know for sure that the answer came from a special place in my heart where the Heart of Compassion dwells because it woke me too. 

    It is one of the most consistent spiritual axioms: when I help someone else I am helping myself.

geo 5,242