The Four Locks and Keys: Part One- Friendliness Towards the Happy

When we were in the hospital with my Adelaide, April played a song with the lyrics, “Write scripture on your heart for when you need it.”

It made me realize how often having memorized different passages as a  practice has helped me during times in my life where regular thoughts, advice, and words do not. What we carry with us has the opportunity to arise into consciousness when it is most needed. There is something powerful in carrying small tidbits of wisdom that have effectively spread through generations to speak with relevance today. 

I want to share some of the ones I carry in the hope they can offer support when you need it or are at a loss of words or knowing what to do which is where I have been living since we lost my 11 year old niece, my mini-love, Adelaide this Summer. 

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Before I begin though, here is my disclaimer:

Scriptures are sacred passages passed down from the Divine to teacher and then devotee/ disciple/ student over millennia. These interpretations are my own and are very much simplified. I honor the sacred texts and do not want to be diminutive yet I do want to show how practical and personal they can be in modern life. 

I was raised in the Christian tradition, but have always been curious about belief. I spent a lot of my life asking questions, reading, and have been blessed to have studied from generous Gurus and teachers of several traditions. I am always seeking to more greatly understand the many facets of the Divine.

These experiences are my own and have shaped the understanding I have so far. I understand that my combining traditions might feel offensive. Over time different teachings have shed light onto my understanding of life and God as a whole. I am not claiming to be a spokesperson; this is merely me sharing the small view I have from here in hopes that you might find a deeper connection with the Divine yourself. 

When I was younger and asking lots of questions about the different things people around the world believed, my Mom said to me, “You can ask questions and the Truth will always stand.” This trust has been at the center of my entire life experiment and I have found it to be... True. :) 

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One verse in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali that I recite to myself is 1:33- about the 4 Locks and Keys which is an instruction of how to approach the many people you meet in life.  

The first of the four says when you meet someone who is happy, practice friendliness.

This might seem obvious to you. Why wouldn't you be friendly towards someone who is happy? It's commonly said that smiles are contagious. Buddhism says that when you find happiness in others' joy, you have more opportunities to feel happiness yourself.

This all sounds simple and good, but what if the person has something you wish you had and you feel jealousy rather than friendliness? 

What if the person is happy doing something harmful to the environment or to others?  (We will be addressing this one more in Part 4). 

If you find you are jealous or resentful - there is a really beautiful reframe that I learned through the To Be Magnetic (TBM) method*. TBM uses binaural beats combined with guided meditations that help you heal the limiting subconscious beliefs that create the perspective from which you experience life so that you can better align with who you were created to be. 

TBM says that jealousy points to something you want but might not believe it is possible for you. Jealousy shows us where we might be out of alignment in our own lives due to societal conditioning, our upbringing, or subconscious beliefs. Recognizing that you are feeling jealousy is actually good news because it reveals your desires and also where your work lies. 

Have you heard the quote attributed to Carl Jung that says, "Until we make the unconscious conscious it will continue to steer our lives and we will call it fate" ?  When something is buried deep down in our unconscious we can't necessarily see it, but we can see its effects on our lives by the signs we are given. Jealousy is one of those signs. 

Friendliness towards the happy is an active practice- in fact all of the Locks & Keys are based in living practice because they require attentiveness. These days attention is an incredibly valuable and scarce resource.  Today (or tomorrow- if it is already the end of the day), try putting this into practice. Whether you are strolling or scrolling through your day, take notice of happy people and  bring awareness to your automatic inner response. See if you can slow down enough to catch it as it pops up almost automatically. Are you happy and celebrating along with them or does this highlight an inner sense of lack that is showing up in judgment or jealousy? 

Whatever you notice is something to practice with. Please let me know how this experiment is going. I would love to hear. Your happiness is mine. :) 

*Although truly I am not trying to sell you anything, if you are interested in the TBM membership I have an affiliate link which will save you 15% off so I'd like you to have it. Use code: CHRISTY2984 at checkout. In full disclosure I do receive compensation when you use my link, but the membership is something I have participated in, paid for (with my own money- not sponsored) over the years, and truly benefit from.