humans protest sign

 

By Debbie Lynn

Hatred only breeds more hatred.

Sometimes we need to get out of our selves and get into the deeper, darker, untouched essence of our well-intended motives. We need to tear them apart layer by layer and put them back together with some love.

An interesting thing happens the moment we are angered about something and feel the need to be a loud voice. The ego/mind gets a hold of our thoughts, our projections, and creates this “story” around it. As we go through the emotional chaos, we build and we give ourselves validation from a little-known, not very well-understood, small-minded ego/place of righteousness.

Because most of us are basically good people, we don’t mean to have our dramatics show up as indigence pouring out and spilling all over the place, but it happens. The judgment usually starts with high intentions to “right a wrong” as we see fit (but not always how it is). We then gather others to participate in our story and design verve around it as we parade our motives based on our good intentions.

The excuses originate in unfounded thoughts like “repairing karma” or “serving a need” or (my favorite) “to spread awareness” and they all seem to be appropriate, but when we get into the real essence of our vigilance, none of this hype holds real value. Unfortunately, even the best-laid plans can end up creating a viral ugliness and separation amongst our peers, family and friends.

In our humanness, we want to be heard, to be validated and to be righted, but if we are willing to take a closer look into the attention we give emotional vivacity, the reflection of our “cause” may move us to silence.

This silence is so personal, so unique and so dark, we may think twice about airing our dissension. But when we practice contemplation (meditation and assessment) through this quietude, it expands a knowing that can reveal much about our capacity for our inner truth. Stand back because it just might blow the ego away, and rightly so. It is here where we begin to meet a bigger place in reality as it relates to the trite and dramatic noise we all eagerly respond to.

So to be an example of “stop the madness and be the change,” rather than allowing the focus to remain with the hatred and the sensationalism around what we (and our sacred opinion) perceive as the moral and justified way, a better approach may be to take a pause, find a moment of clear-hearted serenity and ask: Is it true, is it real? Is there a possibility that I am responding in haste instead of mindfully understanding my reaction to the person and or the situation? This is a very powerful maxim to put into practice. It truly changes every view and can save a lot of regret (foot in mouth) in the end.

The responsibility we all take to make our world a better place starts inside.

I know, blah blah blah—easy to say, hard to do. However it is there (inside) where we struggle with esteem, ego and emotions that need our attention before we speak. In other words, to be conscious of our “stuff” and not to infect others with it is key. Remember, two people can look at the very same thing and see two very different perspectives. It takes only a breath and minute (or many minutes) in thought to stop the hammer from coming down hard.

To make allowances for our echo of what we send out is the higher path, the lighter path and the cleaner path to love. Taking time in introspection we heal, we grow, and so does our world around us.

We come full circle when we reflect on the consequences at hand, and the need to spew is then replaced with respect and deeper consideration.

 

Photo: (source)

Editor: Dana Gornall

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