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Why is Gossip so Tempting?
I think there was a post or a change of subject withina post that touched on this matter.
But I thought I would bring it to surface again as it seems to be chronic troublemaker among today's society.
Yesterday I received my summer edition of Tricycle. One of the main articles in this issue is entitled, "The Truth About Gossip", written by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron. Taking this out of my mailbox and seeing this splashed on the front cover was a dharma awakening for me. Just a few hours before, I was caught up in gossip about the workplace. One of my fellow faculty members had gotten themselves in a bit of trouble...the rest of us were whispering and sharing the rest of the day. I am saddened to admit...I was sucked in.:banghead:
So when I saw the magazine it was like a pinch of reality again...."Ah yes..." I said to meself..."what have I done?". I read the article. And while my student are at their music class, I will reread.
Seven Tips for Giving Up Gossip
1. Recognize that gossip doesn't undo the situation you're gossiping about. It only puts in motion another situation based on negative feelings.
2. KNow that comparing yourself to others is useless. Everyone has his/her talents. In this way, give up jealousy and the wish to put others down.
3. Be aaware of and transform your own thoughts, words, and deeds rather than commenting on those others.
4. Train your thoughts to see others' positive qualities and discuss them. This will amke you much happier than gossiping ever could.
5. Forgive, knowing that people do harmful things becasue they are unhappy. If you don't make someone into an enemy, you want to gossip about them.
6. Have a sense of humor about what you think, say, and do, and be able to laugh at all of the silly things we santient beings carry out in our attempt to be happy. If you see the humor inour human predicament, you'll be more patient.
7. Practice saying something kind to someone everyday. Do this especially with people you don't like. It gets easier with practice and bears surprisingly good results.
Taken from "The Truth About Gossip" p. 38 Tricycle, summer '06
But I thought I would bring it to surface again as it seems to be chronic troublemaker among today's society.
Yesterday I received my summer edition of Tricycle. One of the main articles in this issue is entitled, "The Truth About Gossip", written by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron. Taking this out of my mailbox and seeing this splashed on the front cover was a dharma awakening for me. Just a few hours before, I was caught up in gossip about the workplace. One of my fellow faculty members had gotten themselves in a bit of trouble...the rest of us were whispering and sharing the rest of the day. I am saddened to admit...I was sucked in.:banghead:
So when I saw the magazine it was like a pinch of reality again...."Ah yes..." I said to meself..."what have I done?". I read the article. And while my student are at their music class, I will reread.
Seven Tips for Giving Up Gossip
1. Recognize that gossip doesn't undo the situation you're gossiping about. It only puts in motion another situation based on negative feelings.
2. KNow that comparing yourself to others is useless. Everyone has his/her talents. In this way, give up jealousy and the wish to put others down.
3. Be aaware of and transform your own thoughts, words, and deeds rather than commenting on those others.
4. Train your thoughts to see others' positive qualities and discuss them. This will amke you much happier than gossiping ever could.
5. Forgive, knowing that people do harmful things becasue they are unhappy. If you don't make someone into an enemy, you want to gossip about them.
6. Have a sense of humor about what you think, say, and do, and be able to laugh at all of the silly things we santient beings carry out in our attempt to be happy. If you see the humor inour human predicament, you'll be more patient.
7. Practice saying something kind to someone everyday. Do this especially with people you don't like. It gets easier with practice and bears surprisingly good results.
Taken from "The Truth About Gossip" p. 38 Tricycle, summer '06
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Comments
Mind you.....
Simon did tell me, the other day.....
I never used to care for Angelina...but seeing her in action for the UN and various charities, I have a new found respect for her!
The National Enquirer or Star (one of those nonsense papers) had a headline of Brad Pitt
NOT being the father!
What these people will do for a buck is grotesque!
What's more is the amount of people that but into it!!!
But I came to my senses eventually, vowed never to buy another People magazine and left Popsugar because the poison of vicious gossip wasn't doing anything good for me, to put it mildly. Gossip is much more destructive than I ever realized and I've turned my back on all it's forms. It's an ignorant, deluded, pathetic, immature and poisonous attempt to bring others down to our own level while sinking further and further during the process.
My focus is now myself and my own mind without the distraction of gossip. I just don't care anymore. It's a samsaric trap that won't snag me again.
Great job, Sharpiegirl!! Congratulations!!
My wife buys those and sits for literally hours a week absorbing that crap. She then has the audasity to say that I'm being unavailable while writing on this, the Buddhachat.org board, and one other zen/philosophy/quantum board. Go Figure! LOL
I used to teach a religious education class to fifth graders. Each year when we came to a part in the book that said try. I would ask for a volunteer to help me demonstrate "try".
I would take my keys out and drop them on the ground.
I would then ask the student to try to pick up the keys.
The student would reach down and pick up the keys.
I would say thank you for picking up the keys, but that's not what I asked you to do.
Putting the keys on the ground I'd say, "okay one more time try to pick up the keys. No try, come on keep trying no don't pick it up, keep trying.
Then we would talk about the excersice, and that try means that one makes an attempt that allows that failure is an option, and then scratch "try" out of the book every time we came across it.
I been caught up in Gossip.
However, I have learned the hard way.
Thank you for this!