Can we oppose and still be in peace?
On Saturday January 21st I joined thousands of women, men and children in a “March” from the Library to the Band Shell in Lithia Park. My intention was to choose peace and walk, join in camaraderie with everyone and stand for inclusion and respect for all races, religions, health care and in protection of our environment. More on the March later.
Today I listened to a CD of *Ken Wapnick. He was answering a question about kindness and the question was if when advocating we need to be kind but we also need to make sure we detached ourselves from the outcome or whatever we were advocating for. The answer was Yes and the point Ken made was that “while acting out of kindness we DO need to detach from the outcome, that only kindness counts because kindness multiplies as it is unlimited but do not attach to the outcome and you will be happy whether you win or lose. If you are upset you are invested.”
What I understood is that we need to proceed from a place of “Love” for everyone and exclude NO ONE from our love or oppose anyone or attack in any way. We need to realize that we are all the same. We share the same ego. Everyone wants things “their way.” We share the same correction; the Holy Spirit (the advocate for Good and God) is in every minds. We all carry the LIGHT or the spark of God within that joins us in Oneness.
In a quote I saw recently, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said “We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.” To “make peace with ourselves” we have to look at “what we think” and “watch” our thoughts and judgments. Our thoughts and judgments are what make us peaceful or perturbed, they are our projections.
Watching our projections is a gift to ourself, to our family, community and the entire world. For example, when looking at a judgment about anyone, turn it around and make it about yourself as well. This is hard because the idea about “seeing something out there” means I do not want to “see it in here – in me.” That is why we PROJECT it out. For example our President makes judgments about people all the time. I may think it is terrible but don’t I do the same thing? I don’t put them on twitter or TV and I don’t have the same exact thoughts as he but I do judge. What is important is WATCHING and CATCHING and KNOWING and OBSERVING the ego thought projections so I will REALIZE what I am doing.
Most of us keep our judgments to ourselves or we share them with a close friend. Many of us were taught “if you can’t say something nice don’t say anything.” Or “keep quiet and look intelligent but open your mouth and look stupid.” But even when we think it – the judgment, it still in the mind and it is still separation, condemnation and attack.
We all have judgments and that is why the Dalai Lama says we can never obtain outer peace until we make peace within ourselves. For peace within, we need to be vigilant for the judgments, own them, stop projecting and in so doing you are no longer in the misery of blame, condemnation or separation. We all have an ego. The ego mind separates and the way to peace is to watch it, look at it with the goodness i.e. the Holy Spirit in your Holy Mind and by bringing it to consciousness, it is gradually seen for what it is and diminished.
So back to the Women’s March. There is nothing wrong with sending a message to the President as long as it is done from a place of love and not hate. It is no longer hate, when we cleanse it of projection and separation. I realize that I will be miserable if I continue to judge him instead of his policies. I need to make sure that my advocacy comes from Love but does not exclude anyone. Only loving thoughts reflect Truth and all other thoughts are from the false self or the ego.
I need to remember I can work (and walk) from that non-egoic place of love as guide and as a citizen and peace maker. If I refuse to attach myself to the outcome then I will be happy. I don’t know if my actions will be understood but I cannot worry about that. If I am attached I will not have peace….and that is all I want.
Ken Wapnick, Ph.D. – visit http://www.facim.org – For books, recordings on the spiritual, mystical, metaphysical book A Course In Miracles and workshops by his staff.
Inner Peace For You 