The state of things in the world

First Thursday session of 2024

We were back last night for our weekly meditation and mindfulness session and the topic of the evening was based on a recent conversation I had with an old friend about the state of things in the world. That is pretty much a “dangerous” topic to get into because, I think, easily one can feel such a sense of challenging powerlessness. What an individual can do in the face of so much suffering in the world?

Without entering in the realm of comparing, it seems clear to me that the world is facing many challenges in these last few years, no need to name these challenges as we might end up with a long list of issues. To our mind, I am sure, all seems so unbelievably imperfect, chaotic and messy, is that not so? Of course, we are not here to debate whether things are perfect or not, our reflection is more on what our practice can do in this perfect/imperfect equation?

I guess that we can really struggle to make head or tail of some situations we know of. We might end up experiencing the mind being pulled in so many different directions and, even we are not directly involved in some of the situations, we can experience a certain amount of anxiety and stress. At times, it seems that we have to take side, we have to say something, we have to engage in some sort of reasoning which satisfies a way of thinking. Much can be said, we all have viewpoints and there are as many viewpoints as there are people. So, how can we reflect on our viewpoints? What do they tell us?

Our practice is primarily a practice of no-attachment since attachment is the main source of suffering. Is that not so? We can feel a strong attachment to our way of thinking, our opinions, our beliefs but, perhaps, without really realising that, none of these things can really stand on a solid and unshakable ground, nothing has a fixed nature. Is that not so? Can we take some time to explore the no-fixed nature of things? So, Zen is the practice of not being attached to things, ideas and so on and when we can start seeing through our viewpoints, perhaps, we start developing an openness or a softness around our own powerlessness too.

The practice of Zen is the practice of developing no-attachment towards what we strongly feel attached to. It is to see through the mental dynamics we experience by start taking time to honestly and openly reflect on them. The practice can be the direct response to the incomprehensible world dynamics we know of, in this very moment. How do I respond to my triggers? How do I respond to my frustrations? How do I respond to my fear? How do I respond to my anger? Do I strongly hold my position or am I taking some time to explore what and why I get triggered?

Everything seems to arise, change, mutate, disappear, reappear and so on. We can see all of this as a kind of dance where I have my ideas, you have yours, we can agree on some and disagree on others. However, what is the reality we are left with before even engaging with our ideas, our thoughts, opinions and viewpoints? How do we relate to the state of things in the world from where we are right now?

The conversation with my old friend which inspired last night topic made me ponder on how I can expect the state of things in the world to be less conflictual when my own state of things inside is not at peace itself. So, how do I pacify that? Again, our practice is the practice of no-attachment, allowing things to arise and pass and knowing that none of them, none of my thoughts, ideas, opinions and beliefs can stand on its own as a fixed entity. I can’t take any of this stuff as the absolute truth so I better let go and simply deal with what this moment is really requiring from me. That is, of course, my take on this. What is yours? What are we bringing to the state of things in this world? How do we participate in it? Our practice is the direct response to what happens around us, I feel. Perhaps, it is the most revolutionary thing we could possibly engage with. Have a great year ahead of fun, exploring!