WAR: Empire: Father Chaos...
War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing! -- Edwin Starr
Are you worried, what with a new President and the prospect of an administration of billionaies, multi-millionaires, retired generals, and the gross representatives of fundamentalist extremism? I, for one, had no illusions about the then President-elect, Senator Obama: I had read his book, The Audacity of Hope. Chapter Eight, "The World Beyond Our Borders", is an excellent and forthright presentation of the perspective of a centrist-Democrat (who wanted to be progressive). As he clearly stated in his book, President Obama has believed in the right of any nation to defend itself: and he has bombed the hell out of a whole lot of places... while still attempting to shift the world conversation towards a consideration of the causes of extremism, terrorism, and their connections to the perceptions and realities of political, economic, and religious oppression: and now we face the prospect of a new President who gives evidence of being oblivious of anything and everything but the effective use of power... and the privileges and profits that thrive in its shadow...
I suspect that there will be a quick agreement with Russia -- sort of like that of the European powers who carved up the Middle East and formed nation-states with the idea of easy alliances with them -- again, I suspect a "memorandum of understanding: we stop supporting the rebel factions in Syria: thereby giving Russia a strategic foothold in the Middle East: and they in turn, will "sign off" on regime change in Iran... The simple idea being this: Russian power will disable the rebel forces in Syria and effectively prop Assad's government. President Trump will think that our overwhelming American war powers will quickly eliminate Iran as an independent "power-broker" in the Middle East: with the appearance of stability in the region, how many Americans will be willing to debate about the long-term ramifications of short-sighted military adventurism and questionable alliances?
In a short page, it is impossible to give a thorough analysis or proposed alternative to the distortions and manipulations of the power-brokers of any nation -- even that of the United States. I remember clearly the deliberate deceptions of the administration of President Bush / Cheney in regards to "weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq and the absolute requirement of regime change: nearly everyone roared their approval and support, everyone that is, who had an already commitment to the status-quo of the military-industrial-technological complex that is always so good for business: and the business of America, in their eyes, is to make money -- and lots and lots of it... All of this being said, certainly indicates a significant doubt on my part as the integrity of Mr. Trump and my suspicians as to his "deal-making" intentions and abilities. I also recognize that doubt and suspician really serves no one: least of all those -- like the father and boy in the above photo: likewise, it does little more than begin a framing for a conversation...
A Home In Our Mind
First, are we willing to honestly examine our personal value system: how do I willingly or unknowingly contribute to the violence that is a clear and present danger nearly everywhere. Shouldn't I start with my own thoughts? What are the thoughts that fill my head: oh, not the piddly ones that come and go, but the ones that I carve out time and space for? Beginning there, I can see that I have much work to do! Isn't there an obvious connection between my thoughts and my ability to access peace of mind and happiness? I think so! From my years on the streets of Chinatown working with homeless folks, with addicts, and with others who were either mentally or spiritually challenged / broken by life, I could see that our first and most challenging addiction is our habitual thought patterns.
Science shows that our thoughts create pathways in our brains: habilitual thoughts, as it were, "carve channels" in our brains: so that our thoughts, like water, seeks the lowest place: that place that has been carved out by all of our fears, doubts, rejections, hurts, memories of how we have hurt others, every "fuck" and "shit" we have uttered: it all carves and attracts... Adding to that inner reality is the "big" social reality of marginalization (if we are different or don't "measure-up"), of racism, sexism, sexual abuse, injustice, etc.) and our reactions to it... But science and spiritual practitioners have also discovered that it is possible to re-create our brains! Our brains are never finished products: they are forever "plastic", moldable, flexible: ready for something new and better. It is incredibly hard work, but we can change our minds! If we are going to genuinely confront the issue of war and any possibility for peace, we have to agree to change our minds: there will be no other way.
Change to what: well, for starters, we can limit the goddamn cussing. Oops... We can make it a practice to focus a bit of our time on clear statements of affirmation: like, "I am good and capable". For the homeless, to get them to say this with attention even a few times a day was initially difficult, but doing so created the question, "Could it be true?" That pause to wonder began a new neuro-pathway that would begin to attract "next thoughts" and new patterns of possibilities... Moving on, we might add another affirmation, like "I am compassionate and an agent for change." Inevitably, when this affirmation begins to settle in, the next question is prompted: "I wonder who else is?" And a new tribe could begin...
Violence is always very personal: so we have to take it personally: if we dream of peace and a world of good news, does it not then become our responsibility to help build it? If we truly begin to accept "a home in our mind", and agree as to the necessity of "working it", we will at long last know where we stand... And we will begin to assemble the necessary tools...
A Declaration of Sacred Intention
The Mindfulness Trainings as taught by Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hahn (and "massaged" on this website), are our "declaration of sacred intention". The rEvolution begins and ends right here! Is there someone -- maybe you? -- who thinks she could "win" a debate with Rush Limbaugh -- win the debate that would change the minds of the fundamentalist, the Right-Wing, and for good measure, the "alt-right"? Really? In this era of "post-truth" can any debate ever again be won? If logic and facts are completely irrelevant, how do we engage with those who oppose the equality of male / female, world religions, and the races? How do we engage with those who think science is a satanic plot and that "Jesus will return when the last tree falls"?
The Mindfulness Trainings are sort of like having a lifetime of very poor eyesight... and then receiving the gift of prescription glasses: they are the lens through which we choose to live and define our lives: this is no small thing. If we are never going to "win" the debate that won't actually happen, how then do we summon the courage and grace to persevere in our pursuit of peace, equality, and justice? Dorothy Day used to fondly quote Dostoyevski "Love in reality is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams": this suited her spirituality... it really does little for mine -- regardless of how much I love Dorothy. So, how about we play with this Dostoevski view, and massage it into: "Love in action is a great and beautiful thing compared to the reality of violence and hate"...
The Mindfulness Trainings is a declaration of sacred intention: "in my daily life I will create an action-center for the cultivation of compassion and beauty, for music and art, for sharing and mutual-aid, for conversation and play, for pleasure and bliss..." Do you see? The "real winning" is a life of the contagion of happiness! Not to be rude or dismissive, but look at the photos of Mr. Trump's "fans": they look both angry and depressed: a scary combination, indeed! Their cheers for a scumbag can't hide their "dis-ease": pointing this out will always entrench the will to pain... The only thing that will make irrelevent the power of the Supreme Court, Presidency, and Far Right, is our steadfast happiness: it has long been know that happiness increases one's likely lifespan so we'll likely outlive the ...
To be continued...
Are you worried, what with a new President and the prospect of an administration of billionaies, multi-millionaires, retired generals, and the gross representatives of fundamentalist extremism? I, for one, had no illusions about the then President-elect, Senator Obama: I had read his book, The Audacity of Hope. Chapter Eight, "The World Beyond Our Borders", is an excellent and forthright presentation of the perspective of a centrist-Democrat (who wanted to be progressive). As he clearly stated in his book, President Obama has believed in the right of any nation to defend itself: and he has bombed the hell out of a whole lot of places... while still attempting to shift the world conversation towards a consideration of the causes of extremism, terrorism, and their connections to the perceptions and realities of political, economic, and religious oppression: and now we face the prospect of a new President who gives evidence of being oblivious of anything and everything but the effective use of power... and the privileges and profits that thrive in its shadow...
I suspect that there will be a quick agreement with Russia -- sort of like that of the European powers who carved up the Middle East and formed nation-states with the idea of easy alliances with them -- again, I suspect a "memorandum of understanding: we stop supporting the rebel factions in Syria: thereby giving Russia a strategic foothold in the Middle East: and they in turn, will "sign off" on regime change in Iran... The simple idea being this: Russian power will disable the rebel forces in Syria and effectively prop Assad's government. President Trump will think that our overwhelming American war powers will quickly eliminate Iran as an independent "power-broker" in the Middle East: with the appearance of stability in the region, how many Americans will be willing to debate about the long-term ramifications of short-sighted military adventurism and questionable alliances?
In a short page, it is impossible to give a thorough analysis or proposed alternative to the distortions and manipulations of the power-brokers of any nation -- even that of the United States. I remember clearly the deliberate deceptions of the administration of President Bush / Cheney in regards to "weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq and the absolute requirement of regime change: nearly everyone roared their approval and support, everyone that is, who had an already commitment to the status-quo of the military-industrial-technological complex that is always so good for business: and the business of America, in their eyes, is to make money -- and lots and lots of it... All of this being said, certainly indicates a significant doubt on my part as the integrity of Mr. Trump and my suspicians as to his "deal-making" intentions and abilities. I also recognize that doubt and suspician really serves no one: least of all those -- like the father and boy in the above photo: likewise, it does little more than begin a framing for a conversation...
A Home In Our Mind
First, are we willing to honestly examine our personal value system: how do I willingly or unknowingly contribute to the violence that is a clear and present danger nearly everywhere. Shouldn't I start with my own thoughts? What are the thoughts that fill my head: oh, not the piddly ones that come and go, but the ones that I carve out time and space for? Beginning there, I can see that I have much work to do! Isn't there an obvious connection between my thoughts and my ability to access peace of mind and happiness? I think so! From my years on the streets of Chinatown working with homeless folks, with addicts, and with others who were either mentally or spiritually challenged / broken by life, I could see that our first and most challenging addiction is our habitual thought patterns.
Science shows that our thoughts create pathways in our brains: habilitual thoughts, as it were, "carve channels" in our brains: so that our thoughts, like water, seeks the lowest place: that place that has been carved out by all of our fears, doubts, rejections, hurts, memories of how we have hurt others, every "fuck" and "shit" we have uttered: it all carves and attracts... Adding to that inner reality is the "big" social reality of marginalization (if we are different or don't "measure-up"), of racism, sexism, sexual abuse, injustice, etc.) and our reactions to it... But science and spiritual practitioners have also discovered that it is possible to re-create our brains! Our brains are never finished products: they are forever "plastic", moldable, flexible: ready for something new and better. It is incredibly hard work, but we can change our minds! If we are going to genuinely confront the issue of war and any possibility for peace, we have to agree to change our minds: there will be no other way.
Change to what: well, for starters, we can limit the goddamn cussing. Oops... We can make it a practice to focus a bit of our time on clear statements of affirmation: like, "I am good and capable". For the homeless, to get them to say this with attention even a few times a day was initially difficult, but doing so created the question, "Could it be true?" That pause to wonder began a new neuro-pathway that would begin to attract "next thoughts" and new patterns of possibilities... Moving on, we might add another affirmation, like "I am compassionate and an agent for change." Inevitably, when this affirmation begins to settle in, the next question is prompted: "I wonder who else is?" And a new tribe could begin...
Violence is always very personal: so we have to take it personally: if we dream of peace and a world of good news, does it not then become our responsibility to help build it? If we truly begin to accept "a home in our mind", and agree as to the necessity of "working it", we will at long last know where we stand... And we will begin to assemble the necessary tools...
A Declaration of Sacred Intention
The Mindfulness Trainings as taught by Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hahn (and "massaged" on this website), are our "declaration of sacred intention". The rEvolution begins and ends right here! Is there someone -- maybe you? -- who thinks she could "win" a debate with Rush Limbaugh -- win the debate that would change the minds of the fundamentalist, the Right-Wing, and for good measure, the "alt-right"? Really? In this era of "post-truth" can any debate ever again be won? If logic and facts are completely irrelevant, how do we engage with those who oppose the equality of male / female, world religions, and the races? How do we engage with those who think science is a satanic plot and that "Jesus will return when the last tree falls"?
The Mindfulness Trainings are sort of like having a lifetime of very poor eyesight... and then receiving the gift of prescription glasses: they are the lens through which we choose to live and define our lives: this is no small thing. If we are never going to "win" the debate that won't actually happen, how then do we summon the courage and grace to persevere in our pursuit of peace, equality, and justice? Dorothy Day used to fondly quote Dostoyevski "Love in reality is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams": this suited her spirituality... it really does little for mine -- regardless of how much I love Dorothy. So, how about we play with this Dostoevski view, and massage it into: "Love in action is a great and beautiful thing compared to the reality of violence and hate"...
The Mindfulness Trainings is a declaration of sacred intention: "in my daily life I will create an action-center for the cultivation of compassion and beauty, for music and art, for sharing and mutual-aid, for conversation and play, for pleasure and bliss..." Do you see? The "real winning" is a life of the contagion of happiness! Not to be rude or dismissive, but look at the photos of Mr. Trump's "fans": they look both angry and depressed: a scary combination, indeed! Their cheers for a scumbag can't hide their "dis-ease": pointing this out will always entrench the will to pain... The only thing that will make irrelevent the power of the Supreme Court, Presidency, and Far Right, is our steadfast happiness: it has long been know that happiness increases one's likely lifespan so we'll likely outlive the ...
To be continued...