Different beliefs tend to divide us and draw lines between us — in politics, religion and intimate relationships. But we can use these same differences to remove the blinders that keep us narrow-minded.

“Buddhism divided over the questions that have always divided people,” says Huston Smith in “The World’s Religions.”

He goes on to identify the questions:

Are people independent or interdependent?

Is the universe helpful or indifferent toward its creatures?

What is the best part of the human self, head or heart?
You can, in the light of these questions, assess differences in your personal, professional, spiritual, political and civic relationships.

Now, consider this: The “right” answer to each of the three questions is “both.” Our binary thinking (it has to be one or the other) is a trap, a trap that leads to division of home, church, country and planet.

Perhaps you are afraid that if somebody else is right, you must be wrong. Perhaps you cling to an outcome you can blame on the universe, or perhaps you cling to one you can control — “If it’s up to me, I can make it happen.” Maybe you are complacent or weary of thinking. Maybe you are broken-hearted.

An open mind and heart lead us to the truth.… More

What if when he/she said something that made you feel defensive, you realized that he can’t really make you feel defensive? What if you knew that he merely triggered an existing wound? What if you seized an opportunity to talk about it, to trace it to the pain that caused it, and to realize that the source of the pain was no longer there?

What if you could be the one to treat the wound and heal it? And what if he could hold you close while you were doing it? Would you let him? Will you let him?… More

To heal–or stop exacerbating–a physical, mental, or spiritual issue, you have to stop stressing. And you can do that by reconciling your values, thoughts, and behaviors. Don’t just talk to a doctor, don’t just diet, don’t just meditate, and don’t just re-evaluate your beliefs.

Meet with your body, your mind, and your spirit together, so that each can play its role in harmony with the others. Let them sing the same song, your song. … More