As we all know, failure is a natural part of life. Moreover, it can be a powerful tool for growth, whether spiritual, personal, professional, you name it.
When we make mistakes, however, it can negatively affect others as well as ourselves. Those that are not as spiritually evolved as those who meditate and are aware of chakras might get very upset if they perceive that someone’s mistake negatively affects them.
While this is wrong view on their part, it doesn’t mean they can’t make life very unpleasant for whomever made the mistake. If you’ve made a mistake that a spiritual degenerate mis-perceives as negatively affecting them, there are some reminders you can give them to correct their view and ultimately make them feel better about your “mistakes.”
It is delusional perception. Explain the nature of mind to them, how our consciousness is a sliver of the greater universal consciousness but that we don’t realize this because of our ignorance. Let them know, compassionately, that were we to release our minds from dualistic perception and realize the true nature of reality we would see that there are in fact no mistakes and all actions are perfect.
Invite them to meditate with you. What better way to ease the anxiety of an ignorant mind than to sit with it in silence. If they say something erroneous to you like, “This mistake of yours is going to cost me a lot of money,” open your hand, palm up, in an inviting gesture and gently pull them to the ground with you so you may sit together. If they don’t have a meditation mat, give them yours. Let them ring the meditation bowl so they feel a sense of agency.
Look for the upsides. Perhaps what seems like a mistake right now is actually a happy accident down the line. Maybe someone else entirely benefited from the mistake. See if you can find out who they might be and then generate an inner warmth and happiness for that person. That can be a lot of fun, not to mention eye-opening and life-changing.
Remind them that mistakes show us who we are. A mistake is as much a part of us as our successes are. Invite them to remember some of their failures and how they shaped who they are today. Make sure to reinforce the notion of how wonderful you think they are and that you wouldn’t want them any other way.
Tell the story of Asanga, who did not at first recognize the future buddha, Maitreya. Asanga was not getting the results he desired from his meditation retreats. One day he came upon a dog with a rotten body that was infested with maggots. Asanga tried different ways of removing the maggots but each one hurt the dog so he had to use his tongue to lightly remove the maggots while not hurting the dog. Once all the maggots were removed the dog miraculously turned into Maitreya, who then brought Asanga into a higher realm of existence. Maybe you and the one who thinks they are suffering from your mistake can find a rotten dog infested with maggots that you can remove with your tongue. Worth a try, no?
If none of the above work, this may be someone you need to say goodbye to. They are on a different path than you and sometimes the only way to truly help someone is to let them go. Thank them for teaching you a lesson and forgive them for not recognizing the unseen benefits of your actions.
