“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” – Mother Teresa
Its Time To Spread A Little Love
Let me ask you a question, how do you feel when a stranger stares at you? Are you at ease or do you feel uncomfortable?
Currently I am living in Busan, South Korea, where I can run around all day and not see another foreigner. I stick out like a sore thumb. Being in an environment where everyone is constantly staring at you as if you are an exotic species, you quickly learn to not let it bother you.
I meditate a lot so I am always trying to live my day to day life from a very meditative and mindful state. This is to try and live from the deepest part of my inner being, the part that remains totally unfazed with the outside world. I can be in a totally crammed subway, yet feel completely at ease, even If I have someone breathing down my neck, inside I am 100 feet away.
“Our task must be to free ourselves…by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” – Albert Einstein
Its like being in the world, but not of it, just a witness to the miracle that is our planet. Living from this space one feels an overwhelming sense of love, of oneness, and consequently you feel it overflow and exit through your eyes.
Spread Love: It’s All In The Eyes
Next time you find your self on the subway or any other public place, try and find that place inside you that is utterly still, and from that place look out into the world. Feel the love inside, don’t think, just feel, feel the boundaries between you and the world melt.
Look at someone simply, which is to not let your thoughts come between that which you are observing, otherwise you are only seeing an image your mind constructed and not the thing you are seeing. You are seeing something conceptually, not actually. You are not making contact with it, when you are seeing something simply you are making a direct connection with it.
This is seeing in a loving way, you can observe this within yourself. Anytime you see a beautiful flower, a bird dancing on a branch, or a beautiful sunset, you are doing it in a loving way. The energy and quality of your look is different.
Today when I was sitting on the subway I caught an older gentleman starring at me, I starred back because I welcomed it. I looked at him simply and just smiled, he smiled back…we kept looking and right when he felt my look was penetrating him, he blushed then looked away and broke contact.
The Doorways To Our Souls
Our eyes are really doorways to our souls, this is why its rude to stare at people, they feel like you are invading their space, their privacy, that you are trying to take a peek at their deepest darkest secrets. But since I am trying to be open to the world, I welcome it. When you make a connection with someone through the eyes it’s as if you merge into each other, but it happens so quick that many of us just brush it off.
This also doesn’t have to turn into an awkward experience, just look out into the world in a loving way. You can make a tiny connection with a random stranger on the street in a split second. Just spreading a little love. You will immediately know the people who where open and receptive to it. You can tell right away when someone is getting uncomfortable, so just look away. If they welcome it, send your silent love and intention through your eyes, all this can happen in less than a second. If you don’t do this already, just try it, I would love to hear about your experience in the comments.
Just learn to constantly be In a state of observation. You will see that if you know how to look, a persons eyes can tell you a lot about them and the way they are feeling.
Just want to thank you for taking the time to read my post. I hope you found it insightful and that it inspires you to spread a little love.
(editors note: originally posted on 07/14/2010)
If you enjoyed this post please pass it along to your friends. tweet it, facebook it, stumble it 🙂
Ivan,
This a truly inspiring article. You are so right, the eyes are the gateway to the soul and I think some people find this intimidating. I know that I’ve definitely struggled with this (still do) but I push myself to overcome this fear of bearing my soul. It’s such an intimate and enthralling experience when you do make this kind of connection with another human being.
thank you so much for contributing to my site 🙂 glad you enjoyed it…be well and spread a little love 😉
I’ve experienced this connection before, and what’s absolutely amazing is you can share these moments with anyone. And sometimes these eye to eye connections can spark conversation. I will admit that sometimes I can get uncomfortable when I’m being stared at, but that’s only in a certain situations. Well written and well thought, Ivan. I can truly relate to what you’re conveying 🙂
thanks april :)… didn’t we always share these moments :)?…then you would quickly follow it up with “quit starring at me ivan” lol…hope your doing well my friend.
Ivan,
Another inspiring post! I do believe your travels have affected you in a most magnificent way!
thank you my friend 🙂
Hi Ivan, amazing post! I have been experiencing something similar, or cultivating a similar experience, though I haven’t quite articulated it like you have, to myself that is. I have been more aware of how much connection and emotion can be expressed through a simple meeting of the eyes. I do shy away from it still and am uncomfortable with it, I think probably needed some kind of validation that it’s okay to have this simple connection with strangers. So thank you for articulating so beautifully these experiences, I know I will see and experience so much more in my day to day life.
I never thought anything wrong with meeting eyes with a stranger – we are all simply humans who need and desire similar things, and sometimes, because we have eyes, we see each other. And sometimes, we are curious about each other. Thanks again for a great post.
its my pleasure :)…thank you so much for contributing to my site 🙂 glad you could relate :)…be well
Good article yet avoid the word “try.” Trying to do something implies failure. If you have to “try” to do some action do not bother as you are halfway to failing at it.
On staring at others – about six months ago I was at Samsara on the West End road, Negril, Jamaica, West Indies having breakfast. There were only a few people being served on this patio by the cliffs. I was bent over my meal when suddenly I had this strong feeling of something occuring behind my shoulder. When I looked up to see what it was I realized that there had been a person staring down at me from a guest room fifty yards away. When I looked at this stranger, he looked away and went on his way. There was no other commotion going on at the time and I remain surprised at how strong that feeling of being watched can be.
thank you for sharing your unique experience 🙂 and contributing to my site…greatly appreciated :)…be well
This is such a cute article, I do this as well. I pretend every stranger is a family member and send them love silently. Of course, it doesn’t matter if they are strangers or family, I just find that if I pretend they are family, i can access that place of love quicker. I guess it’s my little cheat!
thank your for sharing my friend 🙂 hope your well 🙂
You said it perfectly: “Look at someone simply”. Fill your whole being with friendliness when you make eye contact. Even if they don’t respond outwardly in kind, you never know how it will impress them inwardly, and the ripple effects your friendliness can have through the world with this compassionate gesture.
thanks for stopping and sharing my friend 🙂 be well 🙂
Great article. “The eyes are the windows of the soul”–unknown
Ivan,
I’ve been doing this a lot lately. Instead of getting irritated at someone staring at the “waygookin” I smile at them. Now I walk away without the negative feelings that getting stared at can bring. I know they feel the warmth also. I’ve always lived in a small town so I crave connections with people. South Koreans can be very receptive. Thanks for your article 🙂
its my pleasure my friend :)…happy to hear your spreading the love 🙂
I like to start at people who I know and we both smile after a few seconds. I can feel little love going through each other. well.. to total strangers… I’ve shared little loves with kids and women on the subway or any other pulic places, but it was very hard to do that to men. I just feel intimidated when I make eye contacts with middle-aged or old men. Your article is definitely hearwarming. thanks.
my pleasure :)…thanks so much for sharing your experiences :)…be well…
Dear Ivan
This article is an eye opener. I am very concious of my stare making other uncomfortable. I have poor eye contact. Further since I am shorter I dont see eye to eye I mean I have to look up to their face. Therefore I dont bother most of the time. Give me some tips to look into the eyes of other people comfortably. Thank you
Great post, Ivan! I do this all the time. My teacher once told me that my face was a “public domain” because everybody sees it. Why not shine bright?
Keep posting great stuff – i love your blog
Also check out my most recent blog post entitled ‘A True Story” about how far an act of kindness can travel. http://belovedconsoler.blogspot.com/2012/07/a-true-story.html I know you will enjoy 🙂
All the best to you – safe travels!
thanks so much for sharing :)…
Very good stuff you have on this website Actually after i get done typing this i’m going to practice the meditation you were speaking of :))
Very happy to hear that 🙂
Wow I like it Ivan. For me it depends who is staring at me really 🙂
I guess putting aside our own judgements and programming, letting it go and to be able to see people from this state can be powerful.
iam a 16year old guy.a vry silent boy.i had done many eye contact about wat u hav described here.at that movement i felt that it strikes into ones heart.sincerely one can hav this.other than any thing eyes can passout the thing within ur mind and dis goes on hapen nd also if i use to see a person constantly they realy looks at me pleasantly.
Even this text had been written long time ago, anyways I want to really thank for these words which are so so positive and made me feel, think and spread positive things.