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Ahimsa: The Superpower of Choosing Kindness · Faithfully Explore!

• 0:00
  Laura: Hi there, explorers.
• 0:01
  Laura: Welcome back to Faithfully Explore, the podcast where we travel the world through stories, games, and big ideas to discover what people believe and how we can grow kinder and wiser along the way.
• 0:15
  Laura: I'm your host, Laura, and I'm so excited you're here.
• 0:18
  Kiara: I'm Kiara.
• 0:19
  Kiara: I'm six years old and super curious about everything.
• 0:23
  Kiara: Hi, everyone.
• 0:24
  Laura: Today, we're exploring a special superpower from ancient India.
• 0:29
  Laura: But first, uh-oh, I have to tell you what just happened.
• 0:34
  Laura: I was coming inside to record, and I accidentally stepped on an anthill in my yard.
• 0:39
  Kiara: Oh, no, the poor ants.
• 0:41
  Laura: I feel so bad about the ants.
• 0:44
  Laura: I said sorry to them.
• 0:45
  Laura: It was a total oops moment.
• 0:48
  Kiara: That reminds me of when I get hangry.
• 0:49
  Kiara: You know, so hungry I get angry, and then I sometimes say mean things by accident.
• 0:55
  Kiara: I always feel bad afterward like, "Oops, that wasn't nice."
• 0:59
  Laura: Exactly.
• 1:01
  Laura: We all have little moments like that.
• 1:03
  Laura: Wouldn't it be cool if we had a special trick to help us be more careful and kind in those moments?
• 1:11
  Kiara: Like a superpower that stops the grumpy oopsies?
• 1:14
  Kiara: Do we have one of those?
• 1:15
  Laura: We do.
• 1:16
  Laura: It's called ahimsa, a beautiful word from ancient India.
• 1:22
  Laura: We're going to learn all about ahimsa today.
• 1:25
  Faithfully Explore! Intro: Faithfully Explore!
• 1:27
  Faithfully Explore! Intro: is the name.
• 1:30
  Faithfully Explore! Intro: Learning together is our aim.
• 1:34
  Faithfully Explore! Intro: Beliefs around the globe we'll track, filling up our Belief Backpack.
• 1:41
  Laura: Ahimsa means non-violence or not harming, but it's not just about not fighting.
• 1:48
  Laura: It's about actively caring for others, ourselves, and even the littlest bug on the ground.
• 1:55
  Laura: Pretty cool, huh?
• 1:56
  Kiara: Ahimsa.
• 1:57
  Kiara: Ooh, I like how that sounds.
• 1:59
  Kiara: So like being super-duper kind instead of hurting, even to ants and annoying little brothers?
• 2:07
  Laura: Yes, even to ants and little brothers.
• 2:11
  Laura: Ahimsa is like using love as your superpower.
• 2:14
  Laura: When we practice ahimsa, we choose to be gentle and helpful instead of hurtful.
• 2:21
  Laura: Imagine it as a kind of magic wand that can turn angry or careless moments into peaceful ones.
• 2:29
  Kiara: A magic kindness wand.
• 2:31
  Kiara: Watch out, world, Captain Ahimsa is here, and she gives free hugs instead of punches.
• 2:35
  Kiara: Pow.
• 2:36
  Kiara: Hug attack.
• 2:37
  Laura: I love that.
• 2:39
  Laura: But you know, you don't need a real wand or a cape to use ahimsa.
• 2:44
  Laura: It's something inside all of us.
• 2:46
  Laura: We just have to remember to use it.
• 2:49
  Laura: One way to remember is to check in with the three gates: our thoughts, words, and actions.
• 2:56
  Kiara: Three gates?
• 2:57
  Kiara: Like castle gates?
• 2:59
  Kiara: Do we need a key?
• 3:00
  Kiara: Are there dragons?
• 3:01
  Laura: No dragons, except maybe the grumpy dragons inside our head sometimes.
• 3:07
  Laura: The three gates means before you let something out, you ask, "Is it helpful or is it hurtful?"
• 3:15
  Laura: Gate number one is your thoughts.
• 3:17
  Laura: Am I thinking helpful things or hurtful things?
• 3:21
  Laura: If it's a hurtful thought, we can gently let it go or change it.
• 3:27
  Laura: Gate two is your words.
• 3:29
  Laura: Before the words come out of your mouth, check, are these words going to help and heal or hurt someone?
• 3:37
  Laura: If they're hurtful, better not say them.
• 3:40
  Laura: Gate three is your actions.
• 3:42
  Laura: What am I about to do?
• 3:44
  Laura: Will this action be caring or will it cause harm?
• 3:49
  Laura: If the answer is hurting, even at one gate, we stop and choose a kinder thought, word, or action.
• 3:59
  Laura: Only helpful, loving things get through all three gates.
• 4:03
  Kiara: That makes sense.
• 4:04
  Kiara: It's like security guards for your brain, mouth, and hands.
• 4:08
  Kiara: Halt.
• 4:09
  Kiara: Is this a kind word?
• 4:11
  Kiara: No, you shall not pass.
• 4:14
  Laura: Exactly.
• 4:15
  Laura: Let's practice real quick.
• 4:17
  Laura: Imagine I'm super hungry and my little brother spills my juice.
• 4:23
  Laura: A mean thought pops up like, "Ugh, you silly baby."
• 4:27
  Laura: Gate one, thought.
• 4:29
  Laura: Is that a kind thought?
• 4:31
  Laura: Nope.
• 4:32
  Laura: So I can change it.
• 4:34
  Laura: Now gate two, my words.
• 4:37
  Laura: Instead of yelling, I could say, "It's all right.
• 4:40
  Laura: I know it was an accident."
• 4:43
  Laura: Gate number three, my action.
• 4:46
  Laura: I might decide to grab a towel and help clean up instead of stomping off or hitting the table.
• 4:53
  Kiara: So by the time it goes through all three gates, you went from wanting to yell to actually helping.
• 4:58
  Kiara: Cool.
• 4:59
  Kiara: I wanna try one.
• 5:01
  Kiara: Hmm.
• 5:01
  Kiara: I borrowed my sister's toy and I broke it.
• 5:03
  Kiara: I feel scared she'll be mad, and I wanna hide it.
• 5:06
  Kiara: Thought gate, I think I'm bad, she'll hate me.
• 5:10
  Kiara: That thought hurts me and isn't true.
• 5:12
  Kiara: Change it to, "I made a mistake, but I can fix it."
• 5:15
  Kiara: Word gate, instead of lying or crying, I can say, "I'm sorry, I broke it.
• 5:20
  Kiara: I'll help fix it or replace it."
• 5:22
  Kiara: Action gate, I actually get glue and try to fix it, or give her my toy for a while to make up for it.
• 5:27
  Laura: That's wonderful.
• 5:29
  Laura: You see, ahimsa isn't just about not hitting or not fighting.
• 5:33
  Laura: It's about helping over hurting in everything, in our minds, our speech, and what we do.
• 5:41
  Laura: It's choosing kindness every step of the way.
• 5:45
  Kiara: Ahimsa makes me feel like I have a superpower shield and a heart laser of love at the same time.
• 5:51
  Kiara: Pew, pew, pew.
• 5:53
  Kiara: Kindness beams.
• 5:55
  Laura: I love your imagination, and you know, people have been using the kindness beams of ahimsa for thousands of years.
• 6:04
  Laura: It comes from the Hindu and Jain traditions in India.
• 6:08
  Laura: Both Hindus and Jains believe we should try our best to avoid harming anyone.
• 6:14
  Laura: Jain people take it so seriously that some monks will even sweep the ground in front of them so they don't accidentally step on the tiniest insect.
• 6:25
  Kiara: Wow, that's like caring to the max.
• 6:28
  Kiara: They're like ultimate gentle superheroes.
• 6:31
  Kiara: Bug rescuers, I love it.
• 6:33
  Laura: Me too.
• 6:34
  Laura: Guess what?
• 6:36
  Laura: Ahimsa isn't just in India.
• 6:38
  Laura: It's time to cross a special bridge, our friendship bridge.
• 6:45
  Laura: Let's cross our Friendship Bridge.
• 6:49
  Laura: So Kiara, we know ahimsa means being peaceful and kind.
• 6:54
  Laura: Can you think of similar ideas elsewhere?
• 6:57
  Kiara: Hmm.
• 6:58
  Kiara: I know in school we learn the golden rule, treat others the way you wanna be treated.
• 7:02
  Kiara: That sounds kinda the same.
• 7:04
  Laura: Right!
• 7:05
  Laura: Almost every culture has something like the golden rule.
• 7:09
  Laura: For example, Jesus taught, "Love your neighbors," and even, "Love your enemies."
• 7:16
  Laura: He was all about kindness and forgiveness instead of revenge.
• 7:21
  Laura: That's a form of ahimsa in Christianity.
• 7:24
  Laura: Instead of fighting back, he said to turn the other cheek, meaning respond with peace.
• 7:31
  Kiara: In my friend's Muslim family, they always talk about mercy and compassion.
• 7:35
  Kiara: Her mom said one of God's names is the most merciful, and that we should be merciful, too.
• 7:40
  Laura: Exactly.
• 7:42
  Laura: Mercy, compassion, kindness to people and animals is a big part of Islam as well.
• 7:48
  Laura: In Buddhism, there's a rule to not harm any living being, very much like ahimsa.
• 7:55
  Laura: And Buddhists practice metta, which means loving kindness towards all creatures.
• 8:02
  Laura: Have you ever heard of Martin Luther King Jr.?
• 8:05
  Kiara: Oh, we learned about him on Martin Luther King Day.
• 8:08
  Kiara: He was the civil rights leader who said everyone should be treated equal and led peaceful marches.
• 8:13
  Laura: Yes, Martin Luther King Jr.
• 8:15
  Laura: was inspired by a man named Mahatma Gandhi from India, who made ahimsa famous by using non-violence to change the world.
• 8:25
  Laura: They both showed that you can stand up for what's right without hurting others.
• 8:32
  Laura: Instead of fighting with fists or swords, they fought with truth and love and won hearts.
• 8:39
  Laura: So whether it's called ahimsa, compassion, the golden rule, or just plain kindness, many religions and cultures teach us to treat others and our planet gently.
• 8:52
  Laura: It's a big friendship bridge connecting us all.
• 8:56
  Kiara: That makes me feel like we're all holding hands, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, everyone, all saying, "Let's be kind and not hurt each other."
• 9:05
  Kiara: Group hug world.
• 9:07
  Laura: A big group hug.
• 9:08
  Laura: Are you ready for the Ahimsa challenge?
• 9:12
  Laura: We're talking about what Ahimsa means.
• 9:15
  Laura: Now let's live it.
• 9:16
  Laura: We have two fun missions for you, secret agents of kindness, to try at home this week.
• 9:23
  Kiara: Agent Kiara reporting for duty.
• 9:25
  Kiara: What are our missions, Captain Laura?
• 9:27
  Laura: Mission one is called the power pause.
• 9:31
  Laura: This is like your quick trick for when you feel angry or upset.
• 9:36
  Laura: If something makes you mad, your sibling takes your toy, you lose a game, or you're hangry, pause.
• 9:43
  Laura: Take one deep breath, maybe even two or three.
• 9:48
  Laura: Count to five.
• 9:50
  Laura: This gives your brain a moment to cool down.
• 9:53
  Laura: After the pause, you'll be more ready to respond with Ahimsa or kindness instead of exploding let's practice real quick.
• 10:03
  Laura: Think of something that annoyed you last week.
• 10:06
  Laura: Now scrunch up your face like you're really mad.
• 10:09
  Laura: Ready?
• 10:10
  Laura: Pause.
• 10:11
  Laura: Breathe in and out.
• 10:18
  Laura: Say, "I got this."
• 10:23
  Kiara: I got this.
• 10:24
  Kiara: Hey, I do feel a bit better.
• 10:26
  Laura: Great.
• 10:27
  Laura: That's the power pause.
• 10:28
  Laura: Use it anytime you need to stop a hurting thought or word from escaping.
• 10:35
  Laura: Mission two is kindness stealth mission.
• 10:39
  Laura: This one's sneaky in a good way.
• 10:42
  Laura: Your job, agents, is to perform a secret act of kindness for someone without getting caught.
• 10:50
  Laura: Maybe you secretly clean up your toys before your parents ask, Or slip a nice note into your sibling's or friend's backpack for them to find later.
• 11:00
  Laura: You could quietly refill the pet's water bowl or leave a flower on a neighbor's doorstep.
• 11:07
  Laura: Do it without expecting credit or reward, like a ninja of niceness.
• 11:13
  Kiara: Ooh, I'm gonna draw a funny, happy picture and tape it on my brother's door while he's not looking.
• 11:18
  Kiara: He'll never know it was me, or maybe he will 'cause I'm the only other kid at home, but I won't admit it.
• 11:24
  Kiara: I'm stealthy.
• 11:26
  Laura: That's okay.
• 11:27
  Laura: The goal is to enjoy helping someone without needing them to say thank you.
• 11:32
  Laura: It feels really good.
• 11:34
  Laura: Trust me.
• 11:35
  Laura: Keeping it secret makes it feel like a fun game too.
• 11:39
  Laura: So to recap your ahimsa challenge missions, use the power pause when you feel upset and do a kindness stealth mission.
• 11:49
  Laura: Think you can handle it, agents?
• 11:51
  Kiara: Mission accepted.
• 11:53
  Kiara: We got this.
• 11:54
  Kiara: Right, listeners?
• 11:55
  Kiara: Let's do it.
• 11:56
  Kiara: I can't wait to hear how your missions go.
• 11:58
  Laura: Me too.
• 12:00
  Laura: You might be surprised how these small actions make you feel happier and more peaceful inside.
• 12:06
  Laura: That's the power of ahimsa.
• 12:09
  Laura: It helps everyone, including you.
• 12:13
  Laura: Now, before we sign off, let's pack up the big lesson we learned today in our Belief Backpack.
• 12:18
  Laura: What's inside our Belief Backpack this week?
• 12:25
  Laura: This is a phrase for your heart, a reminder of wisdom to carry with you wherever you go.
• 12:32
  Laura: Today, we're packing one powerful phrase to sum up ahimsa: pause with patience, choose gentleness, and act with love.
• 12:43
  Laura: Pause with patience.
• 12:44
  Laura: That's like hitting our mental pause button when feelings get big, stopping time for a second so we can take a breath and think.
• 12:55
  Kiara: Like the pause button on my TV remote, but for my brain.
• 13:00
  Laura: You got it.
• 13:01
  Laura: Next comes choose gentleness.
• 13:04
  Laura: That reminds us to be soft and thoughtful with all living things, from ants on the sidewalk to our friends, family, and even ourselves.
• 13:14
  Laura: And finally, act with love.
• 13:17
  Laura: That's the active part of ahimsa, our stealth missions, sharing and helping.
• 13:24
  Laura: Every time you choose to help instead of hurt, that love grows into something huge.
• 13:30
  Laura: Let's tuck that whole phrase into our Belief Backpack.
• 13:34
  Laura: I think it's starting to hum with positive energy already.
• 13:39
  Kiara: I hear it.
• 13:40
  Kiara: It's like, mm, the sound of growing goodness.
• 13:43
  Laura: With pause with patience, choose gentleness, and act with love packed up, our Belief Backpack is a lot fuller.
• 13:51
  Laura: Anytime you feel angry or see someone who needs care, just unzip your backpack and pull out that phrase.
• 13:59
  Kiara: We're so ready to use Ahimsa in real life.
• 14:01
  Kiara: Backpack full of love, check.
• 14:03
  Kiara: Superpower unlocked, check.
• 14:06
  Laura: I am so proud of you explorers for learning and growing with us.
• 14:11
  Laura: Ahimsa teaches us to look at the world with a heart full of faith and curiosity instead of fear or anger.
• 14:19
  Laura: When we choose kindness, we start to see all the little miracles around us and how we're all connected.
• 14:26
  Laura: Thank you for joining us on this adventure of the heart.
• 14:30
  Laura: Remember, nonviolence isn't just about not fighting, It's about caring fiercely.
• 14:37
  Kiara: And if you ever forget, just imagine me and Laura in superhero capes shouting, "Ahimsa," and throwing heart confetti at you.
• 14:45
  Laura: Absolutely.
• 14:47
  Laura: We're sending you lots of heart confetti right now.
• 14:50
  Laura: Keep those three gates in your mind, do your secret missions, and watch your world get a little brighter and kinder each day.
• 14:59
  Laura: Until Next time, stay curious
• 15:03
  Kiara: Stay kind.
• 15:04
  Laura: And keep exploring that wonderful world around you.
• 15:08
  Faithfully Explore! Outro: Faithfully Explore!
• 15:11
  Faithfully Explore! Outro: is about you.
• 15:16
  Faithfully Explore! Outro: Let's grow kinder together it's true!