"In the post-meditative experience become a child of illusion" is a slogan from the Tibetan mind training tradition. We engage the world as we experience it all the while realizing that reality is not as it seems to be.
I'm finding it really difficult to deal with the amazing idiocy of so many people in this country. It is truly shocking to my nervous system to the point where I am actually considering whether I should start ignoring the news altogether.
annie, do your best to find something comical in the craziness. There's an aspect to this hostile behaviour that truly frightens any thinking person ... it is in huge disparity with Barack Obama's composure and cool ... I am trying to understand where this rage is coming from (I don't live in America) -- on a level, it is baffling ...
Hi, Annie. I take consolation in the lojong teaching from which I got the name of this blog: "In the post-meditative experience, become a child of illusion." We remember that all this stuff is illusory (that is, it's not what it SEEMS to be and that it is passing) but as long as we're here and need to function, we bcome a "child" of that illusion. That is, we function throughout our day, as it were, on the illusion's terms - but we don't attribute any ultimate validity to it.
Another slogan that helps a LOT: "Regard all phenomena as dreams."
Also, when it comes to internet surfing, I spend as much time on humor and cute fuzzy animal sites as I do on political sites. Those give me a lift and help me with perspective!
Oh, and by the way, Anonymous, I think the rage is largely coming from racisim.
Thanks for the helpful comments...I am usually able to regard phenomena as rising and falling away, but am finding that this "wall" of hostility seems truly formidable and unrelenting. It is sickening.I'm just no longer sure it serves any purpose for me (personally speaking) to participate further in the conversation.I see that, whenever I do, it only solidifies my OWN biases and passions.
It's a good conversation and I really appreciate the space in which to speak freely.
My mother passed away recently and, as the executor of her will, I arranged to have her mail forwarded to me. I am amazed at the quantity of "hate" mail she has been receiving and continues to receive. This "hate" mail plays upon the paranoia and fears of older people that they will lose their Social Security and Medicare and all of their savings if any of Obama's proposed changes actually take place. Some of the mail is blatantly racist and it is alarming how untrue and slanted the messages are. It is no wonder that my mom was confused and terrified with how the world is changing. I think that she was happy to die just to escape...
I, too, am afraid that those who are now making the biggest noise and those who generate such nonsensical messages will manage to sway our legislators' votes on healthcare, the wars, Guantanamo prison, etc. It is obvious that the lobbyists for the insurance and pharmaceutical companies are dancing attendance on our congressional leadership in an effort to sabotage any change in the present "system" of healthcare. Any person with common sense can see through such actions, but our legislators seem to be easily influenced. Rather than a better "system" it seems that we will end up with a watered-down version which will not address the needs of the majority of the population who have difficulty in obtaining health insurance and in paying for prescriptions and doctor bills. I have sent emails to all my legislators, but it really is a hopeless effort since all my legislators are Republican and have already stated publicly that they intend to vote against any single-payer health insurance bill. Even Obama seems to be losing heart. What can we do to make sure that we are heard on the issues? Classof65
I concur with your perspective on the situation. I think we can only hope that Obama will be successful after all is said and done. I think he is doing a good job at standing up to this horseshit...
Ultimately, these nut cases will most likely be outnumbered the way they were in the election, but they are not going down without a fight.
New policy: Anonymous posts must be signed or they will be deleted. Pick a name, any name (it could be Paperclip or Doorknob), but identify yourself in some way. Thank you.
I'm finding it really difficult to deal with the amazing idiocy of so many people in this country. It is truly shocking to my nervous system to the point where I am actually considering whether I should start ignoring the news altogether.
ReplyDeleteAny suggestions?
annie
annie, do your best to find something comical in the craziness. There's an aspect to this hostile behaviour that truly frightens any thinking person ... it is in huge disparity with Barack Obama's composure and cool ... I am trying to understand where this rage is coming from (I don't live in America) -- on a level, it is baffling ...
ReplyDeleteHi, Annie. I take consolation in the lojong teaching from which I got the name of this blog: "In the post-meditative experience, become a child of illusion." We remember that all this stuff is illusory (that is, it's not what it SEEMS to be and that it is passing) but as long as we're here and need to function, we bcome a "child" of that illusion. That is, we function throughout our day, as it were, on the illusion's terms - but we don't attribute any ultimate validity to it.
ReplyDeleteAnother slogan that helps a LOT: "Regard all phenomena as dreams."
Also, when it comes to internet surfing, I spend as much time on humor and cute fuzzy animal sites as I do on political sites. Those give me a lift and help me with perspective!
Oh, and by the way, Anonymous, I think the rage is largely coming from racisim.
Thanks for the helpful comments...I am usually able to regard phenomena as rising and falling away, but am finding that this "wall" of hostility seems truly formidable and unrelenting. It is sickening.I'm just no longer sure it serves any purpose for me (personally speaking) to participate further in the conversation.I see that, whenever I do, it only solidifies my OWN biases and passions.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good conversation and I really appreciate the space in which to speak freely.
Thanks,
annie
My mother passed away recently and, as the executor of her will, I arranged to have her mail forwarded to me. I am amazed at the quantity of "hate" mail she has been receiving and continues to receive. This "hate" mail plays upon the paranoia and fears of older people that they will lose their Social Security and Medicare and all of their savings if any of Obama's proposed changes actually take place. Some of the mail is blatantly racist and it is alarming how untrue and slanted the messages are. It is no wonder that my mom was confused and terrified with how the world is changing. I think that she was happy to die just to escape...
ReplyDeleteI, too, am afraid that those who are now making the biggest noise and those who generate such nonsensical messages will manage to sway our legislators' votes on healthcare, the wars, Guantanamo prison, etc. It is obvious that the lobbyists for the insurance and pharmaceutical companies are dancing attendance on our congressional leadership in an effort to sabotage any change in the present "system" of healthcare. Any person with common sense can see through such actions, but our legislators seem to be easily influenced. Rather than a better "system" it seems that we will end up with a watered-down version which will not address the needs of the majority of the population who have difficulty in obtaining health insurance and in paying for prescriptions and doctor bills. I have sent emails to all my legislators, but it really is a hopeless effort since all my legislators are Republican and have already stated publicly that they intend to vote against any single-payer health insurance bill. Even Obama seems to be losing heart. What can we do to make sure that we are heard on the issues?
Classof65
So sorry about your mother.
ReplyDeleteI concur with your perspective on the situation. I think we can only hope that Obama will be successful after all is said and done. I think he is doing a good job at standing up to this horseshit...
Ultimately, these nut cases will most likely be outnumbered the way they were in the election, but they are not going down without a fight.
annie