~ Spiritual Practice in a World in Distress ~
I write this reflection with a heavy heart. The upsurge in gun violence in the US, the war in Ukraine, the ongoing COVID pandemic, white supremacy, the decline of democracy, poverty, the lack of affordable housing, and many other events and situations are deeply troubling. For some, there may be a very direct experience of suffering and loss, and for others, there may be more distance. Either way, our collective psyche registers the pain of a world in distress.
In these times, it is more important than ever to have some form of regular spiritual practice that can sustain you and help you to support others who are struggling. Whether you meditate, pray, listen to talks, read sacred texts, sing or chant, or have some other form of spiritual practice, now is the time to draw on it. In particular, we can use our practices to keep our hearts open as we bear witness to our own distress and the distress of others, and offer a healing presence to this troubled world.
A key part of this is cultivating a mindful presence and a compassionate heart. When we do this, we can use our practices to honor our sadness, fear, anger, and grief with courage and tenderness. Opening to the heart of love inside us can help us to be in the world and to respond wisely and skillfully. And at the same time, it is important to remember joy. Even though talk of joy may sound inappropriate or unfeeling at times like this, it is not. This is precisely the time to cultivate joy because it helps us to bear our sorrow without becoming overwhelmed and shutting down.
So, I invite you to nourish yourself with your spiritual practices, remembering what you love and what gives you joy. Noticing beauty and goodness in your life and touching into gratitude and appreciation. In a world struggling with so many crises, it’s easy to get stuck in reactive emotions such as fear, anger, and depression. Our world needs us – all of us - to open to whatever arises and to reconnect with our basic goodness. Despite it all and perhaps because of it, there are billions of acts of kindness committed every day. And today is another day to begin the work of love again.
As the Buddha said:
"In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
This is the law,
Ancient and inexhaustible."
In these times, it is more important than ever to have some form of regular spiritual practice that can sustain you and help you to support others who are struggling. Whether you meditate, pray, listen to talks, read sacred texts, sing or chant, or have some other form of spiritual practice, now is the time to draw on it. In particular, we can use our practices to keep our hearts open as we bear witness to our own distress and the distress of others, and offer a healing presence to this troubled world.
A key part of this is cultivating a mindful presence and a compassionate heart. When we do this, we can use our practices to honor our sadness, fear, anger, and grief with courage and tenderness. Opening to the heart of love inside us can help us to be in the world and to respond wisely and skillfully. And at the same time, it is important to remember joy. Even though talk of joy may sound inappropriate or unfeeling at times like this, it is not. This is precisely the time to cultivate joy because it helps us to bear our sorrow without becoming overwhelmed and shutting down.
So, I invite you to nourish yourself with your spiritual practices, remembering what you love and what gives you joy. Noticing beauty and goodness in your life and touching into gratitude and appreciation. In a world struggling with so many crises, it’s easy to get stuck in reactive emotions such as fear, anger, and depression. Our world needs us – all of us - to open to whatever arises and to reconnect with our basic goodness. Despite it all and perhaps because of it, there are billions of acts of kindness committed every day. And today is another day to begin the work of love again.
As the Buddha said:
"In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
This is the law,
Ancient and inexhaustible."