Long term

Whenever I see a sign like that (Islamic center) being denigrated my initial reaction is sadness at the outset of hopelessness. What disturbs is not just the attitudes these actions reflect but also the way such people go about expressing them. There is always a temptation to succumb to these emotions but staying grounded in reality, however means realizing that this is only a surface perspective. I see intolerance, anger and fear but in as well the true suffering behind an act of hatred. Fear does a disservice to all parties involved. A paralyzing fear of the unknown indicates a kind of unwillingness to accept present truths. The desire driving someone to commit an act of unnecessary aggression reveals someone fiercely trying to protect a way of life that they feel is being threatened in some way. Fully submerged in fear the monger demands that the people stop being truly alive by forcing them to live in it too. Afraid in anticipation of an event that has not even occurred is to be in the darkness of an illusion. How else can you explain being caught up in only one aspect of a situation that has great depth? In the darkness you forget about life in the present, how it is all around us and ever-changing like time. As you fervently cling to the past the world keeps on blissfully turning as another day is added to its history. Its difficult to accept the fluidity and natural impermanence of our existence after ones worldview has become rigid and impermeable. Denial of evident truths translates into resisting reality at all costs. One becomes ensnared in a trap of deceptions as a victim of ones own lies.

So by recognizing that hatred and fear are some of the roots of violence and self destruction, you can see that its advocates are actually truly suffering. The emotional pain which inspires hatred causes inner turmoil and clouds the mind. Contemplating this helps to develop compassion even for those who try to cause harm, with the wish that they may find peace just as you wish to find peace. In spite of the ideological/religious differences in the world, at the end of the day everyone is trying to attain their version of fulfillment or happiness . This is what we all have in common as part of our shared humanity. To be a human being is such a remarkable thing. We touch each others lives all the time without even being aware of it in the most extraordinary ways. Those filled with love try to spread love and those filled with hate try to spread hate. I pray that through meditating, giving and loving we can eventually learn how to accept ourselves completely in all our variety. In so doing we can accept, love and protect the variety in this amazing planet we're on. True peace resides deep within every human being. It communicates with love and welcomes the suffering in an enveloping, eternal embrace.

In the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying Sogyal Rinpoche references the Katha Upanishad when Death says to Nachiketas:

There is a path of wisdom and a path of ignorance. They are far apart and lead to different ends...Abiding in the midst of ignorance, thinking themselves wise and learned, fools go aimlessly hither and tither like the blind lead by the blind. What lies beyond life shines not to those who are childish, or careless, or deluded by wealth.

It helps me to remember that all we have is now-like that flaming lips song. Our unknown immanent death is actually a reason to celebrate life(a joyous occasion). Making the most of it and being the people who we want to be right now means reveling in the journey. The choice is ours to make though it requires a good deal of iron will and patience.

In samsara we must take heart in the fact that the truth reinforces itself which is manifest in everything.