Feeling Stuck? Thoughts from a Budding Buddhist
"In the face of what is happening, how do we avoid feeling overwhelmed and just giving up. turning to the many diversions and demands of our consumer societies?”
Joanna Macy is an environmental activist, scholar, writer and Buddhist that wrote the books “World As Lover, World As Self” “Spiritual Ecology” “Coming back to Life”. You can also find her in the documentary called “The Great Turning”, where Macy describes the discusses the global shift from destruction to sustainability.
She poses the question “In the face of what is happening, how do we avoid feeling overwhelmed and just giving up. turning to the many diversions and demands of our consumer societies?” I have always been interested in finding solutions to the world’s issues like racial division, overconsumption, and war. Meditation has really changed the way I used to go about these issues, and it really does start with myself, and everything I have been through first, and foremost. By starting where I am at, instead of where the world is at, I have been able to access a sense of peace and acceptance. I am able to brainstorm better, more sustainable solutions to MY problems, and in turn, I have the capacity or drive to address larger issues, I never thought I would be confronting. Below, is the first article I wrote, as I launched my LLC at the end of 2024.
Letting go of the feelings attached to a memory is easier said than done.
Me too. Letting go of the feelings attached to a memory is easier said than done. In the new age of spirituality, old religion is dying and “spirituality” “mind-fullness” and “self-help” is taking its place. Why may that be the case? Religion doesn’t fit what the newer generation wants for this world. Too many rules, too many concepts to study. Many of these old religions require deep meditation, memorization of prayer, fully understanding the story. Why do the youth not want to participate in this part of human life? Probably because indoctrination of religion infringes on the idea of self. And self-care is having the free time to mindlessly scroll through our social media feeds or binge watch television so we don’t have to participate in the world.
Weirdly enough, I find myself feeling called to prayer during my free time or spells of boredom.
The media says this and says that but the reality is, we all are aware that death is happening in so many wrongful ways.
Times like these is when we really do need to rely on the power of prayer and faith. Whatever it is that you may practice, whatever community you belong to, the idea of suffering is universal. There is pain and suffering in the world. There is also a joyous life force within all of us that wants to help and be with others. How can we activate that life force again when the world appears to be so hopeless?
I’m asking myself a lot of questions lately.
Why is it that the older generation and younger generations are so disconnected from one another? This feels like very much embedded in American culture. The distance between us youth and elders should be closer in times of fear and pain. Our elders have lived through it probably much worse than us?
The question of our planet being better or worse than it was before can be contemplated and debated all day, but where will that get us? How about, was today better than yesterday? And how about you neighbor, friend, peer? Were you able to let go of the sorrows and regrets of the past, so that you can live for the present moment? Are you able to put your ego aside and check on others, even if it feels like no one checked on you in a while?
I am early in my years as a Buddhist practitioner. In fact, I sometimes feel self-conscious to call myself that because I still don’t feel confident in my ability to defend the dharma.
But the more I am able to meditate and practice letting go of what others may think, the more I can step in to the highest version of my self.
That self wants to help others, that is a big truth. It took me a long time to feel confident in sharing my thoughts publicly, but I realized my voice matters, and yours does too. Some of our voices are stuck in the dark hole of insecurity and feeling like we aren’t enough. You are, and your existence is apart of the symphony of life too. I hope you can find time to find your voice again, it really matters, more than ever.
Thank you.