Never Give up Hope

This post is about keeping a positive outlook in life despite difficult circumstances we all face in our personal and collective lives on the planet.

It's been a dark and stormy autumn lately. Two days ago, our power blinked out. It was delightful. My wife, my four year old daughter, and I all snuggled into a large chair together and took turns telling stories in the candlelight.

Last weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend teachings with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New York. Mr. Radiant Hopeful himself...reminded me again and again with his inimitable humor to not pay too much attention to things I can't change, and work diligently at things that I can. Buddha (or Jesus, the Great Spirit, Mohammed, etc.) can inspire us, but it's up to us to liberate our mind from delusional thought patterns which only lead to misery. A growing number of health authorities are saying the same thing. The acupuncturist (or other health care professional) can offer much needed support, but it's up to each one of us to take responsibility for our health, paying attention to the key ingredients for a balanced body and mind: Taking some time each day for quiet reflection and prayer in whatever tradition that resonates, reducing our stress, cutting back on our consumption of coffee, sweets, junk food, getting to bed at a reasonable hour. You know, the basics.

Many years ago, I took a writing class from Canadian author, Anne Cameron. She opened a class once with the provocative statement, "People don't ever change do they?" I assume her intent was to challenge us to think about that statement. In any case, I took the bait and responded, "People only ever change".

Change is our nature. Nothing stays the same even for an instant. In Buddhist psychology, the moment a phenomenon is born, the seeds of its disintegration have already been planted. Probably quantum physics says the same thing using different words.

When Tibetan lamas first started travelling to America a quarter century ago, they did not undertand the concept of low self esteem, self-hatred, or depression. There was no similar concept for this in the Tibetan language. All sentient beings are innately pure with a mind capable of limitless good. Most Tibetans - even to the extent that they have had contact with Western culture - still "grok" this concept thoroughly...it's quite evident in the gleam of their eyes. The obscurations of our mind, and all of our internal and external challenges, are only temporary. I share this because depression and anxiety is such a commonly reported malady here in the clinic. Acupuncture can no doubt help, but of equal importance is that we all smile to each other - from our heart and through our eyes.

If we pay attention, we see that we aren't who we were yesterday, and we will be a different person tomorrow. That also applies to everything else - our community, national politics, the planetary environment, etc. With a little effort, we can direct that change towards the positive. (See the thread on Parker Palmer's discussion of Movements).

Last week, I was somewhat surprised to hear His Holiness call President Bush his close personal friend. It just seemed an odd juxtaposition of world leaders - the 1989 Nobel Peace prize winner, and the man who brought us WMDs which have never been found but justified another horrible war.

It's difficult for one person to stop the (big) war. But together if we create peace in our heart - and not just with the people we call our friends, but every living being on the planet - that will stop the war inside of us, which will eventually help stop all wars. The Dalai Lama seems to have done it, and it makes me think its probably a lot easier to negotiate difficult issues when you've already established a foundation of friendship and love with everyone.

Well, it's time to pull the pins on my last person at CommuniChi for the day. Perhaps all the 15 people I poked today will touch 50 to 200 sentient beings in the next week, and the peace vibration in Seattle - and the world - will thereby grow stronger.

May all beings be peaceful, healthy, and happy.
http://www.communichi.org/