LOVE BREEDS LOVE

My granddaughter was up for a visit this summer, and when she kept up with me on my swim, I was astonished at her power. Two years ago she stopped halfway and waited at a neighbour's raft, but this year she stayed with me the distance and sprinted home. I applauded her and suggested if she was interested and found the right coach, she could be an Olympic champion. Gabrielle loves horses so didn't spend much time considering the possibility. I on the other hand began wondering what I'd like to be a champion of, and it didn't take long come up with the answer.

There are certain attributes needed to master most anything in life and they are: self-discipline, high concentration, a sense of total determination, and practice. I learned this not from a Master of the Arts, a Master of the Sciences, or a Master of Sport. I learned this from a Master of Love: Swami Chinmayananda. He wrote in the book I love YOU: Letters to Children:
1)self-discipline,2) high concentration and 3)a sense of total dedication are all auxiliary factors. They prepare us to give love. But nothing helps us in the art of loving as practice itself. Love breeds upon love itself…to love is the only means for cultivating love.

Our first few attempts may not be quite successful. But let us teach ourselves by repeated fall: watch how a child learns to walk – what industry, consistency, courage and heroism! How many falls, yet up stands again the baby to try once again to walk by himself. And, the child, in the end masters it all by himself; so too, in "the art of giving love" to others in the world, he who has the heroism, masters it through some of his early falls and stumblings.

I've had to remember those words a number of times this summer. We've had a steady stream of visitors coming and going and have been trying to train puppy Amik as well. At times I've succumbed to exhaustion and let my emotions get the best of me. I began to bark at my husband and got resentful of little Amik; all that I had learned seemed to be slipping away.

Knowing this was not who I wanted to be, I got back on track by doing some deep breathing and The Secret Smile meditation. As a result, I decided it was time to make some changes.
I asked for help and it was provided in many pleasant ways, for instance, some people I had never met before were coming up for four days and one was a caterer and brought a few gourmet meals – yum! Then Gabrielle woke up early and relieved us of a few of the 6 a.m. puppy walks. Another great help was when our dog trainer came over to provide further guidance on how to teach Amik to be gentle.

Val Dillon specializes in working with aggressive dogs, but she also helps in getting puppies off to a good start. Her wisdom not only helped me with Amik, it helped me with giving love to all. Her philosophy is: praise good behaviour, ignore what you don't like, and take passive physical action only when necessary. "A leader is confident, calm and always in control," she said.
It's so wonderful not to be angered by disobedience anymore. When Amik acts up we just show him how we want him to behave and it's over. The energy work I do is all about living from the centre where the heart and mind are connected, and Val's way is another expression of this. Peace has returned.

While out scampering, another Master's words came to mind, those from Wayne Gretzky: The highest compliment that you can pay me is to say that I work hard every day, that I never dog it. So off I go to make the beds yet again, and I do it with a smile on my face and with purpose in my heart. For I am determined to create a nurturing harbour: a place where kindness and generosity abound. Like a baby, I may stumble and need some help, but I too will use industry, consistency, courage and heroism to succeed. This is important to me because with all the angry people and angry weather out there, someone's got to show – not tell, but show - the chldren there is another way. If I walk with peace and nurturing in my heart, maybe others will have the courage to do so too.

The road to being a champion is not an easy one, but it is simple. With self-discipline, concentration, determination and practice anything is possible – even a world filled with love.
Imagine!

Comments: whitetrail@sympatico.ca
Val Dillon – 705-455-9832