Bear's Blog

Thich Nhat Hanh used the term “Inter-being” to describe how everything is intimately connected. He was no stranger to adversity; as a Vietnamese Buddhist in the late 60’s he advocated for peace. His country was divided into the communist North (allied with Russia and China) and the South (supported by France, the US and others.) The war lasted over 10 years, and was an ideological battle between superpowers. The US involvement sparked activism and the first modern anti-war movement in America.

Many wars have been fought over ideas, whether religion, forms of government, or self-determination. Typically the mindset is “us” and “them” - duality personified. Black and white. In our complex world (when was it ever that simple?) it's mostly grey. We live in a world of form and duality, yet underlying it all is a wholeness - everything is included. Like Thich Nhat Hanh, we can participate in the relativistic battle while promoting unity, compassion and understanding. 

The impulse (I feel it too, off and on) is to flee the brutality, the inhumanity, the sheer hatred and violence we are witnessing. Whether on the world stage or the streets of our own cities, we can’t separate ourselves from the darkness in the human heart. We are all prisoners of war!

The illusion of a separate self leaves us in an impoverished state and impacts our neighbors, society, country, and the world.  Acknowledge the demons as our own. Through one step, one action, one prayer, one thought at a time we can help heal humankind. To create a world we want to live in, it's imperative to take a stand for love. It’s a big challenge, but we can do it - together.

Here is my latest version of Tonglen* -

May all Beings be free of suffering;
May all Beings be safe, resourced, and loved.     

“To protest the injustice done to oneself is human; to protest the injustices done to others is divine.”

Bear

*Here’s more on Tonglen, a traditional Buddhist prayer (with more of my personal variations): https://www.bearmckay.com/tonglen-prayer

My first Thich Nhat Hanh read, “Being Peace”, frequently had me in tears… all his books are wonderful. “Fear” might be another good one for the times we are in.