What we are seeing in the world today is astonishing, devastating, and scary. It is tempting to just put our heads in the sand (or some soul-sucking game like Pokemon GO) and try to just muddle through– hoping for the best, but increasingly unsure what ‘the best’ even looks like.
Yesterday, Rev. Donna Johnson (Unity Temple on the Plaza, 7/17/16) spoke on this very topic; forgive me if I extract some of my materials for this posting from it. She asked if the propensity to commit violence has increased. One could argue the affirmative; just look at the number of people being slain on a daily basis. She further asked if there were truly an increase in the number of people willing to commit murder, or if this spike could be due to the accessibility of WMDs to the civilian population. It’s the ‘chicken or the egg’ question, it seems.
The loss of every one of these individuals is crushing to the hearts of every reasonable human being; whether through the series of violent events around the world, or the nearly senseless wars that have trudged on for years. There is no way to minimize the blow, nor do I wish there were (short of them having never occurred). We are at a societal tipping point, and the fuel that will propel us through it comes from that sense of longing for and ACTIVELY creating grassroots change. Another casualty of these atrocities is the individual souls of humanity; of US- those left behind to try and understand these heinous events. The question then becomes- where do we begin? This virus of hate is wide-spread, so how can I have an effect on something so enormous?
Here is my next question: What happens to that individual, shining spark within each of us in the wake of such devastation? Does it make me a little more afraid of the person I don’t recognize? Does it make me wary to go and sit in the courtyard of a large public space? Does it make me less willing to engage new people? Does it make the desire to simply surrender all hope seem more plausible than ever before? Unfortunately, I must confess that all of these ideas have rolled through my mind. I feel that my mind is offering each and every one of these things as ways to avoid exposure to further pain.
Perhaps it seems ineffective to consider deep-soul work as a solution to all of this external conflict? I would like to suggest that it is precisely where the healing begins…
First: The Island of Me.
I spend a lot of time by myself. At times, it is a blissful thing: I have a chance to listen, observe, and develop a relationship with the generally cool guy inside. I may not always agree with the opinions that rattle around up there, but I am willing to see their value and create a space for them at the table.
At other times, however, I am at WAR. The opinionated, grumpy, over-worked, under-acknowledged victim gets up; he is armed and ready to take on any enemy to HIS way of thinking. Somewhere in me, an opposing force chooses to go toe-to-toe with this Goliath. Using all of the spiritual principles this little David can find (sometimes conflicting, and we’ll save that for another post) he fights. But the elusive Goliath in this story is not a ‘one blow and done’ kind of warrior, as in the biblical story. This Goliath 2.0 gathers, regroups, chooses a new method of attack, and comes back in seemingly stronger than before. Little David is equally mighty, and bravely fields the blows. Meanwhile- the flesh that houses this feud grows weary. Sleep becomes a distant memory, coherent thought escapes, and the me that you see begins to resemble an extra from The Walking Dead. If any of this sounds familiar- don’t worry, I am not stalking you and taking notes. I would guess that you have an Island of Me of your very own.
Next: Let me suggest something radical!
So- what does this have to do with a healed, peace-filled world? Let’s look at the blissful moments I mentioned above. How do I locate this bliss? Do I hunt everywhere? Do I reason, argue, legislate, and force myself to STOP IT and insist that I think a different way? Well if I do, I end up (quickly, if not instantly) right back in the ring with my very own Goliath 3.0 (he upgrades frequently). In order for those blissful moments to appear- I must listen to my heart more than my head. I must offer my soul-truth without insisting that my head accept it. The seemingly opposing thoughts simply stand before each other in wide-eyed wonder. And, for those delicious moments, there is peace.
This again begs the question- What does any of this have to do with a healed, peace-filled world? What if I/ we had the ability to teach others this type of psycho-spiritual freedom? What if the way to teach it were to simply do it? No words, no confusing manuals in illegible fonts with a thousand parts. Just personal practice, and then standing firmly in that practice. Here’s a radical solution:
I end MY internal violence. Without this internal agitation, I am able to see/hear clearly. I am able to focus my attention on the good, unifying, omnipotent God in whom I believe. I am able to bring the healing, of which I am evidence, to my community.
Does this sound simple? If you have tried, you will know that it isn’t. Will this magically change the world? Not at the rate that our instant-gratification-seeking society would like. And the big question: Will it work? Well, I would answer this in two ways. First, my increasing experience with it says yes, as do many, many studies on the effects of community peace practices on citizens. Second, we have tried every external way to incite peace, so what have we got to lose when the individual gains may be so great (if you love sleep, focus, and clarity as much as I do)? Oh, yeah, and the whole world peace thing…
Tune in next time. If I haven’t made you think I have lost my mind, there is more to this conversation. Much, much more…
And please- should you choose to (and I encourage you to) comment: Meet me with the courteous spirit I have tried to present. If for no other reason, than to be peaceful…