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There are three teachings and three teachers that I have reached out to for support over the last few days. Practice inter-being
I have leaned into the practice of interbeing that I learned from the late Thich Naht Hanh who has led many mindfulness retreats for groups of Palestinians and Israelis. His teachings on the path of interbeing, peace and reconciliation continue today through his community in Plum Village, France. He says that when we practice interbeing 'we lend each other our strength. We go beyond the delusive idea that we are separate from each other.'
This is echoed in the South African concept of Ubuntu 'I am, because we are', and in the words of Martin Luther King; 'we are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny'. When we are mindful, we are practice interbeing. We learn to turn our attention inward, noticing when we shut ourselves off from others, hang onto our identity as a separate self, and become less present. Mindfulness practice also activates our natural curiosity, it cultivates an open mind as to who I am, who you are and who I am in relationship with you. We begin to see that we are all connected. We can begin to model ethical living and compassionate action in our everyday lives. We touch interbeing when we live by the belief that 'your joy is my joy and your suffering is my suffering.' Awaken compassion
Tonglen is an ancient practice that awakens compassion. I first learned it from Pema Chodrun a Buddhist nun in the US. This practice allows us to resist the tendency to turn away from suffering which is hard to bear, and instead open up to it. It's a simple practice of taking in suffering and sending out compassion.
When practicing Tonglen I find it helps to visualise a single image from the newspaper or TV, of a family, a child, or an elderly person in Palestine - Israel who is suffering. - As you connect with this image, and sense our 'interbeing', focus on the breath allowing it to settle into a regular rhythm;
- Notice thoughts and feelings of injustice, anger or sadness. Breathe with them and allow them too, to settle;
- Breathe in, sensing the pain of another person - gently receiving grief or sadness;
- Breathe out sending whatever you feel will be of benefit - gently giving love or hope;
- Allow this in and out breath, this taking in and giving out, to bring a sense of connected peace and calm in the face of suffering for as long as you wish.
At first it can feel artificial and such a small thing in the midst of the magnitude of the devastation we see. But in opening our hearts and minds in this way we can turn towards, not away, from what we see happening in the world, with compassion for both ourself and others. It isn't a substitute for action but as a personal practice will begin to change your relationship with what you're experiencing, allowing you to witness it with an open heart. Be peace Chris Whittingham is the founder of the School of Contemplative Life, who is developing a meditation and peace project for Palestine-Israel and inspires me through his teachings on 'being peace'. So much of our time, he tells us, we are at war with ourselves. Our minds are distracted and our attention is scattered. We give ourselves a hard time when we mess up. We spend a lot of time wanting things to be other than they are. And as a result, can end up blaming and shaming ourselves or others. He has taught me how the practice of meditation is first and foremost a simple path to inner peace. As we cultivate peace within ourselves, we create an atmosphere of peace around us. We become places of peace for others and our relationships flourish. This is why we practice. Chris' work has shown me how my mindfulness practice helps me to commit to the steady, quiet work of establishing peace within myself. In these troubled times perhaps that's the most important practice we can commit to.
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