Impermanence III

Based on the results of this last election, you all may know those who are elated at the result and those who are devastated, saddened, and worried about our future. I would like to speak to the latter.

Any spiritual path demands that we look within to understand how we view the world in which we live, and how we react to our experiences of that world. If we experience difficult emotions like fear, hopelessness, frustration, anger, resentment, etc., we are called to look within to see the source of those feelings. We also have to ask on whose behalf are we feeling these emotions? We are encouraged in our practice to bring a sense of curiosity to this exploration of how our minds lead us to feel these particular emotions.

Such emotions are usually uncomfortable for us and we try to suppress them, or distract our mind with a variety of techniques. We use many forms of distraction, some of which can lead to more addictive patterns of reaction. However, they only result in deferring our difficult feelings and do nothing to resolve them. We can also try to place the blame for how we feel on those we dislike, rather than take responsibility for our own feelings and reactions. This displacement of responsibility takes our personal power away and gives it to those we hate and fear.

All these “remedies” only serve to reinforce our habitual patterns of reaction in situations like this. However, there are more skillful ways to deal with uncomfortable situations. If we are able to be present to these emotions, without resistance or aversion, then we can use our curiosity to examine the nature of these reactions. We come to see that these emotions are the result of our long-held patterns of thinking and reacting to the world. We understand that, although certain events in the world may trigger our reactions, the ultimate responsibility for how we feel lies within us.

The good news in that view is that, by taking responsibility for our own reactions, we realize that we have the ability to change how we think and how we react to the world events that seem to hit us hard each day. There is no refuge in the changing events of the world. There is no relief in putting the blame for our feelings on others. The only safe refuge is in that which doesn’t change. Our spiritual path is about pulling back the veil of our egoic patterning and revealing our true nature which is always a source of peace and happiness.