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(Ahimsa and also the First of the 5 Buddhist Precepts)

When was the last time you felt an urge to do harm?
Was it to yourself or to someone else?
Was it to an inanimate object?
Did you want to throw your laptop across the room?

Describe the scene you imagined? Was it colorful? In shadow?
Like a cartoon? Like an artsy noir film?

How did you/could you rewrite the scene to diffuse the desire to express yourself with violence? Could it be comic? Describe it. Write it as a short play.

When was the last time you were confronted with violence?
How did you remove yourself from the situation?
How did you let go of the tight violent urge it brought up in you as a form of defence?

What does your inner defender look like? How do they get the job done?
How do they sooth you when it’s over?

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(Satya & The 4th of The Five Precepts)

Imagine yourself in Warrior 1:
Your chest high, your spine centered in your body –
is your body a truthful expression of your state-of-mind?
If not, can you move your state-of-mind to be truthful
in alignment with your body?

Was your most recent lie a lie of words, deeds, or posture?

Who were you lying to?
What color is your lie?
What animal sound does it make when it creeps
around the edges of your consciousness?
What does it smell like, and when do you notice its presence?

Why is this lie difficult to let go of?
What purpose does it serve?

If you could tease apart the lie and remove it
from the circumstances where it was formed,
what shape would it have?
How would you pick it up? Handle it?

How big would the hole be that it left behind?
What would happen to your picture of reality?
Who else might notice a difference?

What would you do with this lie?
Lock it in a vault? Throw it in the sea?
Digest it?

What was gained through the lie?
What can be regained despite it?