When I find myself getting anxious about the world (which happens a lot these days when I read the news), I do a few things:
1. I stop my catastrophizing thoughts about X that did happen, which will lead to Y that is even worse, which will lead to Z, which is absolutely terrible.
2. I come back to the present moment, which always has at least something positive about it and is generally pretty great.
3. I ask myself, "how can I help?" and think about real actions I can take to try build a better world for the future.
So much love for this post, Colin - you combine and reframe some of my favourite and most grounding aspects of the Dharma, including the beloved Faith in Mind and the 6 Paramitas. Thank you, as always, and especially for this one!
I find myself returning to this question in my interactions and contemplations, sometimes before and during, and when I slip up or things predictably go unpredictably, in the aftermath - am I helping or harming/does this help or harm?
In the framework of your Q 'what am I for?', I'm for taking and encouraging a response-able approach to communicating, whether in 1:1 spaces or group or the broadcast mode of putting my (or other people's) words out there. I try to check myself each time I'm creating/composing/communicating to come from a place of openness, assuming the innate goodness in all, and with the intention to contribute to that rather than dent it. Because whenever I'm drawn to do otherwise, whenever I feel/hear myself wrapped up in bitterness, in mean or judgy dialogue, there's a palpable unpleasantness in my body and a contraction of spirit. And that's frankly just not helping me or anyone else.
Thank you too for the playground Boddhisattva image, that feels like a way more expansive view on living by that intention.
Aliya! Thank you for telling me what you are for!! I love it. It is so beautiful. Please be it.
Also too, what you say about the unpleasantness in your body.
That is the thing about this fear and anger thing. It makes us feel awful.
The love and joy thing feels better.
And, my faith fully rests in the fact that it makes us help more.
I say: I help leaders perceive and joy and create in magic so that they become creative and generous and help others perceive and joy and create in magic so that they too become creative and generous and on and on until the entire world can rest in play.
I simply don't need fear and anger to do that. But to be clear, I still feel fear and anger. I just choose not to center my behavior in it.
Thanks for engaging, Aliya. I love being in conversation.
Same same Colin! To every word and especially the conversational nature of it all :)
I have to write a piece for my Buddhist chaplaincy training course about the history of my relationship with my anger - I am realising in this moment that this exchange is part of that shifting story; of learning to (and feeling why it matters to) allow space for feeling the fear and anger, and being careful not to let it take up all the space. Navigating the unavoidable dust, as you beautifully and poignantly put it :)
I process it with friends, family, my partner, or through writing. I had some very bad days just after leaving federal service a few months ago. I was really mindful of spiritual bypassing. I have a history of that. It is helpful to have tools and practices that ground me and help me at least observe my thoughts and feelings, if not welcome or make friends with them.
But, with intense feelings, I find the only way out is through. I need to be vulnerable enough to admit that I'm having a hard experience. I have feelings of despair and thoughts of helplessness. I reach out. Let some people close to me know. Listen to what they are experiencing. Stop feeling so alone. Maybe my partner listens for awhile and then gives me some very well-intentioned tough empathy, and an assignment of something to work out through my writing that will likely open some doors and set me free from my own torment.
With that ball of anxiety cleared, I let the creativity and words of love and encouragement flow. It helps me feel like even though I'm living in the now, and there are some scary and concerning things happening, I'm also living in the time to come. I'm straddling the gap between the chaos that is and the vision of what can be - as Parker Palmer suggests. That feels like the sticking point for my courage (Lady MacBeth).
Thanks for asking these important questions, Colin.
Thanks for the great post Colin!
When I find myself getting anxious about the world (which happens a lot these days when I read the news), I do a few things:
1. I stop my catastrophizing thoughts about X that did happen, which will lead to Y that is even worse, which will lead to Z, which is absolutely terrible.
2. I come back to the present moment, which always has at least something positive about it and is generally pretty great.
3. I ask myself, "how can I help?" and think about real actions I can take to try build a better world for the future.
Thank you Adam!! Perfect!!
I really enjoyed this. Greed, hatred, and ignorance rise endlessly, I vow to abandon them.
Thanks, Richard!
Following my compass and “acting as if” are great reminders for today…🙏
So much love for this post, Colin - you combine and reframe some of my favourite and most grounding aspects of the Dharma, including the beloved Faith in Mind and the 6 Paramitas. Thank you, as always, and especially for this one!
I find myself returning to this question in my interactions and contemplations, sometimes before and during, and when I slip up or things predictably go unpredictably, in the aftermath - am I helping or harming/does this help or harm?
In the framework of your Q 'what am I for?', I'm for taking and encouraging a response-able approach to communicating, whether in 1:1 spaces or group or the broadcast mode of putting my (or other people's) words out there. I try to check myself each time I'm creating/composing/communicating to come from a place of openness, assuming the innate goodness in all, and with the intention to contribute to that rather than dent it. Because whenever I'm drawn to do otherwise, whenever I feel/hear myself wrapped up in bitterness, in mean or judgy dialogue, there's a palpable unpleasantness in my body and a contraction of spirit. And that's frankly just not helping me or anyone else.
Thank you too for the playground Boddhisattva image, that feels like a way more expansive view on living by that intention.
Aliya! Thank you for telling me what you are for!! I love it. It is so beautiful. Please be it.
Also too, what you say about the unpleasantness in your body.
That is the thing about this fear and anger thing. It makes us feel awful.
The love and joy thing feels better.
And, my faith fully rests in the fact that it makes us help more.
I say: I help leaders perceive and joy and create in magic so that they become creative and generous and help others perceive and joy and create in magic so that they too become creative and generous and on and on until the entire world can rest in play.
I simply don't need fear and anger to do that. But to be clear, I still feel fear and anger. I just choose not to center my behavior in it.
Thanks for engaging, Aliya. I love being in conversation.
Same same Colin! To every word and especially the conversational nature of it all :)
I have to write a piece for my Buddhist chaplaincy training course about the history of my relationship with my anger - I am realising in this moment that this exchange is part of that shifting story; of learning to (and feeling why it matters to) allow space for feeling the fear and anger, and being careful not to let it take up all the space. Navigating the unavoidable dust, as you beautifully and poignantly put it :)
I process it with friends, family, my partner, or through writing. I had some very bad days just after leaving federal service a few months ago. I was really mindful of spiritual bypassing. I have a history of that. It is helpful to have tools and practices that ground me and help me at least observe my thoughts and feelings, if not welcome or make friends with them.
But, with intense feelings, I find the only way out is through. I need to be vulnerable enough to admit that I'm having a hard experience. I have feelings of despair and thoughts of helplessness. I reach out. Let some people close to me know. Listen to what they are experiencing. Stop feeling so alone. Maybe my partner listens for awhile and then gives me some very well-intentioned tough empathy, and an assignment of something to work out through my writing that will likely open some doors and set me free from my own torment.
With that ball of anxiety cleared, I let the creativity and words of love and encouragement flow. It helps me feel like even though I'm living in the now, and there are some scary and concerning things happening, I'm also living in the time to come. I'm straddling the gap between the chaos that is and the vision of what can be - as Parker Palmer suggests. That feels like the sticking point for my courage (Lady MacBeth).
Thanks for asking these important questions, Colin.