LISTEN!

November 11, 2024

Listening in Community

We had a full mindfulness day yesterday, a very deep, healing recitation of the 14 Mindfulness Trainings, with Kaira Jewel as our dharma sharing leader. She suggested that the topic for our sharing was to select a phrase from one of the trainings that spoke to us that day about how to deal with the election reaction. Very democratic, with well over an hour for us to share.

The MT that hit me and challenged me was #3 -The Third Mindfulness Training: Freedom of Thought
“Aware of the suffering brought about when we impose our views on others, we are determined not to force others, even our children, by any means whatsoever — such as authority, threat, money, propaganda, or indoctrination — to adopt our views. We are committed to respecting the right of others to be different, to choose what to believe and how to decide. We will, however, learn to help others let go of and transform fanaticism and narrowness through loving speech and compassionate dialogue.”

It was the last two sentences that I shared about. What did I say? That I spiraled into deep depression and increased drinking in 1980 when Reagan was elected. I thought we were on the verge of revolution! That the working class would never elect such a right-wing movie actor as President. I was wrong. With my years of union and community organizing, my work to end racism and oppression, that election depressed me and led to the dissolution of our revolutionary group.

Getting sober was the most difficult thing I had to do in my life, and I couldn’t do it alone. I found sobriety and new communities of support both for recovery and mindfulness meditation. I had to face the arrogance and narrow leftist thinking that had led to near death. I had to recognize that I can’t dwell more than a few moments in feelings of grief, sadness, anger or despair without it sending me back to that dark place where I drank. I feel the feelings about the election, the disappointment, but I can’t afford to stay there. I have to nourish positive seeds in my consciousness of love, compassion, healing, joy and hope. It’s a matter of life and death for me. Hence a dedicated practice of mindfulness.

I have never given up my passion for justice, my desire to build strong communities that protect the vulnerable, and operate on principles of love and service. But the mindfulness guidelines now emphasize the “right of others to be different,” to have different views, political opinions, and goals. I don’t understand the whole world (as I thought I did with a Marxist framework). Others are not separate from me. There are no “good guys” and “bad guys,” just other humans like me, capable of anger, fear, ignorance, insanity, and killing, I am in them and they are in me, all learning from our experiences, growing and changing one day at a time.

Those of us who voted for Democrats in this last election and lost the presidency must LISTEN. Listen more deeply to the frustrations of people who can’t afford food, gas, and housing. They want a change, apparently badly enough to vote for a twice-impeached, convicted felon who admires dictators and promises to destroy our democratic form of government. Some of those voters are blood relatives of mine. I need to listen more closely, understand their concerns more deeply, and do whatever possible to keep building community where all views are heard. This doesn’t mean we stop protecting the immigrant, prisoners, LGTBQ friends, our children’s education, healthcare, and rule of law. We’ll have to organize, demonstrate, stop the wars against Gaza and Ukraine, and work constantly to preserve democracy.

As the 12th Mindfulness Trainings says, “We will not support any act of killing in the world, in our thinking, or in our way of life. We will diligently practice deep looking with our Sangha to discover better ways to protect life, prevent war, and build peace.” And the 10th MT – “As members of a spiritual community, we should nonetheless take a clear stand against oppression and injustice.”

That evening at WMC we did the Eve of Remembrance, honoring loved ones who have died recently, which was also very lovely and moving. I showed photos of the six friends who’ve died this year.

I feel strong this morning, knowing I am never alone, that I am part of powerful, loving communities.