The other week I learned a new acronym, “WCNSF”. In Gaza, medical workers began encountering so many cases of Wounded Children with No Surviving Family members, that they needed to create a quick way to identify and categorize. I think I had heard of it before, but the weight of its meaning really hit me this time. It is so difficult for me to wrap my head around the devastation, that I am guessing if I did hear of it before, I wasn’t ready to truly realize its meaning. I don’t think I am ready for it now either, but I have noticed that I have been in kind of a zombie mode ever since I listened to the podcast that spoke to the issue. I have been putting off writing the newsletter and following up on my blog because I know that this is what I need to write about and I am resisting. I am resisting because it is so painful, so unbelievable, so overwhelming. I am a person who wants to help. I believe that there is good in all of us: our Buddha Nature. But how can I handle the savagery that is so in our face right now? What is happening to the children with no one to care for them and are purposely being exposed to continued brutality and starvation? How do I visualize the perpetrators of this violence as having Buddha Nature when they are capable of such murderous actions? We all suffer when genocide is perpetrated: Those being ravished, those who are so damaged that they can kill with abandon, and those who witness the atrocities. When I bring all this to my forethought, I cry and experience paralysis. I say this about another country and not to mention our own country’s enormous and growing problems. I can’t say that I have a solution, but I do want to share something that has helped me; a way that I feel is taking action even if only using strong personal intention.
Tonglen is a meditation practice where we visualize the pain or suffering of others, and breathe out a wish for the cessation of the cause. It is a method for the spiritual warrior because it requires mettle. As we breathe in the difficulty, however, the process involves utilizing our sincere desire for the happiness of others as an energetic purification of the negativity. This is so that it is not maintained in the body and what is breathed out is its opposite. Pema Chodron is a Shambhala Buddhist monk. I consider her to be my teacher. I have literally read all of her books, have been on retreat with her, and participated in multiple on-line courses. When I decided to practice Tonglen as a way to deal with my paralysis, I found an article that she wrote that breaks down the process in a way that is simple and profound. Here is a link to the article: https://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-tonglen-meditation/ . I also recommend searching for more information and other interpretations as it is such a powerful form of practice. For me, I had to keep the initial sessions very brief and not always about such challenging subjects. I will not say this is an easy task. Please prioritize self-care and only take on what you can handle. This form of loving kindness envisions you as the protagonist, so you have to survive!
For the benefit of all beings…