As we move through tumultuous times, I have been thinking about how we venture forward together. In these times of national divisiveness when our friends and neighbors and families may subscribe to views of truth and reality that are often not only inconsistent with our own, but diametrically opposed, how do we avoid conflict? More importantly, how do we engage in loving receptivity? How do we come together—and hopefully stay together? I think the answer lies in how we look at our relationships—what we focus on. It is important not to get lost in our differences, seeing them as ties that … [Read more...]
More on Coping With Dark and Holding Light
I recently wrote about dealing with the presence of darkness in these times and received some thoughtful follow-up requests to share more about what it means to accept the fact of darkness in the world and for practical advice on how to do this in daily life. So just how do we accept the presence of darkness? What does such acceptance mean? What do I do? First, I admit that darkness exists in this world. Accepting darkness is not to embrace it, not to hold it and not to approve it. It means only to acknowledge it is there, that darkness is a reality in our … [Read more...]
Coping With Darkness Without Conceding
We have now spent most of this year facing the physical, economic, emotional and psychological threats and consequences of the COVID pandemic, along with the parallel crises of social upheaval and protest against the inequities of racial injustice, and the ever heightened polarization of our divided nation as we watch the sacred tenets of our American experiment in democracy attacked and depreciated on a nearly daily basis. We are all exhausted. We are indeed navigating a very difficult time. I feel and hear and know the anxiety and the loss that so many of you experience. I want to … [Read more...]
Defeating Fear
We are facing a crisis of fear in the world, playing out in many ways on many platforms. And trying to keep fear at bay in the current environment is challenging as we are subjected on a daily basis to horrific reports of violence, destruction and hatred along with an accompanying onslaught of images, sounds and threats—and outright encouragement-- of anger and hostility. All this is in part designed to create and sustain fear in order to further the assorted goals of the fear mongers. Exaggeration and distraction are important tactics used by those who wish to advance their own agendas, and … [Read more...]
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