A few weeks ago, I shared a brief writing expressing:
- My embarrassment about my country’s actions,
- The importance of resisting autocratic manipulation,
- The power of our attention for co-creating our world,
- A reminder of our essential goodness.
That writing was sent only to the “Embodied Life” community, most people reading this new piece did not see it. It’s quite short, if you would like to read it.
Attention and co-creating our world
Not-Knowing
Having returned home recently, I am reflecting again on these daunting subjects. As usual, I begin with the first principle of Zen – Not-knowing or Don’t know mind.
This mind is open, curious, full of wonder, questioning and uncertainty. It is repelled by certainty.
Any observant person notices that reality – what actually happens – is often unexpected, unpredictable and radically surprising. Certainty is often based in fear – a desire to solidify the unknown – to KNOW before reality occurs. Not-knowing is based in the humility of having been so wrong so many times in the past.
Life’s Cycles and Uncertainty
I often remind myself that life seems cyclical, that the unexpected often arises from unknown causes. Wonderful relationships can suddenly sour, difficult people may become friends and painful moments can lead to liberating discoveries.
In my Feldenkrais practice, I’ve seen many people recover from tragic accidents/illnesses and turn suffering into unexpected gifts. My own severe neck injury from a car accident led to remarkable inner development. The unspeakable horrors of World War II created conditions for Israel’s establishment – a long- sought homeland for the Jewish people. But through many causes, this has also led to the conflict in Gaza, where so many innocent lives are lost. What comes next?
We don’t know.
Old Chinese Fable:
Many years ago, a wise peasant lived in China.
He had a son who was the apple of his eye. He also was the proud owner of a fine white stallion (horse) which everyone admired. One day his horse escaped from his grounds and disappeared. The villagers came to him one by one and said: “You are such an unlucky man. It is such bad luck that your horse escaped.” The peasant responded: “Who knows. Maybe it’s bad, maybe it’s good.” The next day the stallion returned followed by 12 wild horses. The neighbors visited him again and congratulated him on his luck. Again, he just said: “Who knows. Maybe it’s good, maybe it’s bad.”
As it happened, the next day his son was attempting to train one of the wild horses when he fell down and broke his leg. Once more everyone came with their condolences: “It’s terrible.” Again, he replied: “Who knows. Maybe it’s good, maybe it’s bad.” A few days passed and his poor son was limping around the village with his broken leg, when the emperor’s army entered the village announcing that a war was starting and they were enrolling all the young men of the village. However, they left the peasant’s son since he had a broken leg. Everyone was extremely jealous of the peasant. They talked about his sheer good luck, while the old man just muttered: “Who knows. Maybe it’s good, maybe it’s bad.”
It is possible that current world events will drive a stronger impulse toward compassion and human freedom. Again, we don’t know.
Chronic Fear and the Loss of Freedom
Fear is the first emotion in the history of life, even reptiles exhibit fear. It’s a survival mechanism to either flee from danger or fight. The function of fear, as in all strong emotions, is to: 1) get your attention and 2) mobilize action. When linked to an immediate danger, it is functional and healthy. When fear becomes chronic, it is dangerously dysfunctional.
Fear is contagious, spreading like a virus. Many of us are rightly fearful of the autocratic impulses in the world today. Intolerance, meanness, and “us/them”, encourages fear of others. Fear is the tool used by autocrats to control; frightened people are easier to manipulate.
How can we avoid this trap, while honoring and expressing our intelligent, heartfelt concerns? How can we witness the pain created by unwise, power-hungry leaders and continue to celebrate the beauty and miraculous gifts of life?
This is our challenge.
Goodness and Gratitude: Strengthening our Social Immune Systems
For me, goodness is synonymous with love – a basic warmth and caring for life. When we are not clouded by confusion or fear, caring for life is a natural impulse. From my travels to challenging places, Kolkata comes to mind, I’ve seen that most people, even in difficult circumstances, will care for others.
Meanness is the exception, not the rule.
Acts of love – sharing warmth, humor, and helping each other in little ways are everywhere. Holding the door for someone carrying bags, helping a person who has fallen, sharing a warm smile in the checkout lane at a store are all acts of love. We all depend upon care/kindness/warmth, (i.e. love) for survival – it is the fresh air that our souls breathe. Remembering this can restore our faith in humanity.
An attitude of gratitude is remarkably easy to cultivate. We can learn to grow these neural networks. How? Simply pausing and wondering – “what small gifts have I received from life in the last hour” or “what is beautiful in my world right now”. Beauty nourishes our soul-life and is ever present when we look/listen and perceive the living moment. Right now, you are surrounded by colors and forms that, with a little bit of open attention, can be a small gift.
Presence is the doorway to gratitude for the many simple moments that we often overlook. Feeling these in your heart and body has a surprisingly powerful impact.
This intentional practice becomes spontaneous when practiced.
You have the right to choose where you focus your attention – taking responsibility for your attention is your ultimate power. It is a revolutionary act to stand-up to the forces that want us to live in fear.
Grieving and Engagement
We are social beings, our interactions with others are vital. Learning to share our fears/concerns/worries without getting lost in the dark holes of hopelessness, rage or sorrow is essential. Sharing our joy and gratitude is also essential. Grieving for our losses and the suffering of vulnerable people is that aspect of love called compassion.
Compassion – caring for the suffering of others – connects us to all of humanity. When unskillful, our compassion can easily become a kind of depressive sorrow or even pity for others, neither of which is helpful. Learning to carry our grief with care and warmth strengthens our hearts.
Some of us will choose to engage politically, others will focus on local communities or personal circles. We all can be aware of how our thoughts, words and actions in daily life influence each other.
Our task is to mindfully notice the energy we contribute to our shared field. We don’t need more chronic fear or anger. These emotions can be motivating, but once they’ve served their function, they no longer help. Without this awareness, we risk adding to the forces we wish to quell.
Not-Knowing, recognizing goodness, choosing gratitude, grieving with care and engaging in right actions are all ways we contribute to co-creating the world we
want to inhabit and leave to future generations. May we all find ways to live with love, joy, caring, sorrow, and compassion in action.