As violence escalates worldwide it seems many humans are addicted to their anger, and being held by that anger all balance is destroyed in its wake. In breaking the cycle of anger, rage, and violence human beings must learn the practice of tolerance and compassion for ALL others. Anger, intolerance, and hate connect humans to what can be called the supreme evil. This evil survives on pain, torture, and malevolent actions.
When we realize that love and compassion are necessities in life to assure our human survival we begin to evolve to a higher state of awareness. Hate devolves us as humans while love and compassion evolves us. The anger present in the world today, as in Ferguson MO, increases the breakdown in our human ability to love and find compassion toward each other.
Photos like this have appeared in news media during the past days. It brings to my mind the image of a war torn country and is shocking to realize this is happening right here in middle America. It leaves me without words to express the pain and suffering that these images call to mind. To see the militarized police force of this small town using its power against the citizens of their community releases fear in those who are its victims and manifests in anger on the streets as these people protest their feelings of victimization. How can it be otherwise?I find myself enveloped in a silence on the outside while the noise and confusion on my inside drowns out rational thought. My experience with this comes only through the news and social media; I can't imagine what it is like to be engulfed by this violence in real time. From seeing the images on TV and the internet I feel it must be Hell.
I think of the words of Robert Thurman: "Our anger or hatred only results in violent outbursts when we’re inflamed with rage and our good sense has gone out the window. This kind of anger, being “mad,” that is, insane in its fury, destroys all in its path, not least our own emotional balance." And I wonder again if our culture is addicted to rage?? I believe just below the surface of rage lies the true feelings of powerlessness and vulnerability. Feelings that we as human's attempt to hide from. The more hidden these feelings are from our conscious selves the more intense is the rage, and perhaps we are seeing this happen world wide as well as in Ferguson.
Perhaps by learning tolerance and compassion for all others we will begin to truly love others without condition. Fear is driven by feelings of inadequacy, while unconditional love is a product of acceptance and compassion. This does not mean that we don't stand for what we believe to be right, but it does mean that we stand for our beliefs without hate, animosity, and rage. If we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that our beliefs are truth then we can stand for them without rage. When the things we believe in are universal truths we know that they don't need our rage to empower them because they will stand on their own.
When we stand at the center of that rightness we can accept these truths and allow others to have their beliefs. Others beliefs do not detract from our own, nor do they have to accept our beliefs as their truths. We need only tolerate each others beliefs and not engage in practices that breech each others boundaries. Easy said but it can be difficult to remember and to practice this; especially when rage drives behavior. That rage driven behavior often erupts into violent outbursts and reason and good sense are no longer a part of the behavior. In that moment hatred, intolerance, and uncontrollable rage are in charge of actions.
Watching video clips of the recent uprising I saw and heard angry taunts being thrown both ways. At those times reason seemed to have disappeared, and each side seemed to attach blame to the other side for their enraged reactions. I wonder what could happen if each person in this situation would take full responsibility for their behavior; not blaming or reacting to the other but accepting full responsibility for what they say and do. I believe that if we become proactive for ourselves, out thoughts, words, and actions we will move toward a state of balance. I know that when I am truly standing in my own center others words and actions will not take me off my balance. Rage and hatred are the source of evil; love and compassion are the antidote for this poison of spirit.
It take great courage to stay centered in the face of adversaries, but I believe that through love and compassion we can change those around us. This is the only way I know to create lasting change - one person at a time.....
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