Quality change is the capacity to transform "negative" situations or circumstances into something beneficial for oneself and others. "Quality transformers" are people who can turn walls of resistance into bridges of understanding and keep crossing them, who can change any obstacle into a stepping stone of success and can reverse the niggling, paralyzing dragon of doubt into radiant self-confidence, dissolving the thought "impossible" from the mind.
Such people work with the undercurrents of life that determine the external reality of human interaction, namely their attitudes, thoughts and feelings. If these are permeated with resentment, anger and selfishness, then despite a facade of politeness or cooperation, relationships will be subject to damage and deterioration. On the other hand, when the undercurrent is one of trust and sincerity, then the quality of life is enhanced. The fundamental source of quality is the existence of a positive undercurrent. It is not a matter of words, actions or role, but rather the foundation of these, manifested in thoughts and the activity of the mind.
Meditation enables the mind to tune in to that undercurrent of thoughts, feelings, and attitudes, which is the invisible creator of our human reality. The nourishing power of silence, attained through meditation and spiritual knowledge, gives us the means to create quality change. Such change enhances our self-confidence and the capacity to creatively and positively relate to life as it is.
Silence gives us the energy necessary to effect change, and self-knowledge gives us the perception and insight to realize the opportunity for change that everyone and every situation offers.
How do we qualitatively transform ourselves? Is it something we plan and consciously do? Does it just happen by itself? Or, is it a state of awareness that naturally recognizes opportunities for quality change?
The easiest way to understand quality change came to me one day when I had to put fresh, smelly manure around the roses in my garden. After a few hours of this work, I realized that those beautiful flowers, although nourished by the manure, did not take any of its odor or color. They were truly like kings of the garden, in their pink, gold, red and white robes, filling the air with such a fragrance that people who came to the garden did not even notice the manure. The roots of the roses were able to transform the manure to such an extent that the best was taken without any negative side effects. This was my first experience of quality change.
The human world is like a garden. We are like a variety of flowers surrounded by lots of manure, that is, negativity in all its forms -- such as ego, fear, anger, attachment, mistrust, etc. People who are "quality transformers" can accept all these negative things and use them for their personal growth without the negativity penetrating them; they do not get spoilt, or even touched by it. With understanding and the natural, loving detachment that comes from silence, they realize that the negative person or situation in front of them is the universe's way of giving them an opportunity to create a tiny, silent miracle in their lives. Quality transformers become the spiritual roses in the garden of humanity: They display all their beauty and provide inspiration for all those who see them.
"Quality transformers" can also be compared to the oyster -- when a tiny foreign particle invades its home, it secretes a liquid that combines with the particle to eventually create a pearl. The pearl can live in the oyster's home for the rest of the oyster's natural life without causing any disturbance.
In the same way, rather than react negatively to people and events, we can include them and mould with them. Through acceptance, our consciousness jumps to another level of perception and we realize that what we might have previously regarded as a problem can, if handled correctly, be a means to develop our strengths and remove our weaknesses. Whether a situation is a problem or a gift depends on our perception. The choice is ours.
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