I’ve been sitting on this blog for a week or so not knowing how or where to begin or where to go. But I’ll take a cue from my dharma talks last week and reflect on how to hold the killings in Christchurch and the ubiquity of white supremacy, Islamophobia, racism, misogyny, homophobia, and generic hatred ad infinitum. Undefended dharma is about the willingness to look at everything. Sometimes we use our spiritual practice as a way to dissociate from the reality of life ‘out there’, but my spiritual practice is about how we hold the world ‘out there’ because the separation between ‘out there’ and ‘in here’ is false.

In looking over some old notes I see I’ve done this before. I have notes on Charleston, Charlottesville, Ferguson, Orlando, Paris, Parkland, Black Lives Matter and on and on, unfortunately. How do we hold this? How do we do something about this?  My mind went in two directions. First, how do we hold this without becoming overwhelmed with anger, rage, grief or despair? Those emotions will show up of course but how do we hold the reality of what is. The Buddha said that hatred did not cease through hatred, but only through love and that’s the direction we need to head in. How do we cultivate lovingkindness, compassion and at some point forgiveness for the greed and hatred that runs rampant in the world? The key point to remember is that we’re not loving or forgiving the acts, but we’re aware that these are human beings, conditioned beings who are lost in this world of influencers and trauma and bullshit. Thich Nhat Hanh says we have to build this foundation of lovingkindness and compassion within ourselves so that we have a place to act from with wisdom and without perpetuating the hatred and harm. This is an incredibly difficult practice but so important.  Practicing with mindfulness and paying attention is a place to start. Allowing the idea into our minds that only love can combat hatred is the first step for many. Even if the emotion and heart are not there yet, allowing that idea and setting it out as an intention can be a powerful  way to move in that direction. Jack Kornfield says, “By practicing with mindfulness we align ourselves with those who refuse to hate and, with each moment of compassion, sow seeds of peace.”  The Dalai Lama says, “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”  And when we can cultivate this humanity within ourselves we can get to a place of equanimity with the world.

Many times, however, people hear these Buddhist teachings and believe that it is a path of passivity and inertia. The reality cannot be further from the truth. Bhikkhu Bodhi, Thich Nhat Hanh, Thanissara and so many others speak eloquently about the need to take action when we see harm being caused.  The first precept is not just about not killing, but also about cultivating compassion and ending suffering which includes all kinds of hatred and injustice wherever we find it.  Bhikkhu Bodhi asks, “But wouldn’t the embodiment of the dharma in the world be more complete by also reaching out and addressing the grinding miseries that are ailing humanity?” The answer is yes.  Charles Johnson said that when speaking about Right Conduct we can “translate the dharma into specific actions of social responsibility.” The term Engaged Buddhism should really become redundant. To practice these teachings and to be truly mindful means you are engaged.

But how do we do this? The answer is to start where you are. This may sound glib, but where else can you start? Immerse yourself in the teachings, in the practice of mindfulness. The Mahayana ideal of the Bodhisattva, one who forgoes her awakening until all beings are liberated, is a model to use.  Uncover your own suffering. The kinder and more compassionate I have become with myself, the kinder and more compassionate I have been able to be with others. It sounds odd but it’s been true for me and I hear this from others as well.  Set an intention to live with an undefended heart and to end suffering where you see it as you can.

Last week I received one of Rick Hanson’s regular newsletters and he quoted Nkosi Johnson who was born with HIV in 1989, and died at the age of 12. He was South African and became a national advocate for people living with HIV/AIDS. He said, “Do all you can with what you have in the time you have in the place you are.” We live in a society that implicitly demands we do great things and sometimes we’re discouraged that we can’t fix it all today. We can’t all be Mother Teresa or Dr. Martin Luther King. However, we can do all we can with what we have in the time we have in the place we are. This little essay is the tippy top of the tip of the iceberg on these complex issues, but I invite you into the discussion. How can you soften your heart and work for the benefit of all beings? I love you.