Think positively. Begin anew with positive thoughts, ideas, and words. Begin within the self so that everything about you begins to take on a new attitude of positivity. Change the self in small positive ways so that bigger changes may naturally come about. When thoughts or words turn negative, or to old ideas about the self or others, immediately shift to the positive. In this manner change your reality, one thought and one word at a time. Change yourself with your thoughts and words, and then see what happens in the world around you. One positive person can make a whole world of difference.
Remain heart centered. Let not words of rage from outside of you interfere with words of love coming from within you, for in turning to the heart there will not be fear nor worry pouring forth but only kindness and concern for the welfare of all. In turning to the heart, loving kindness will emerge as the only antidote to a troubled world where one side turns against another, where anger and fear turn their backs on that which truly works to unify and reconnect the many to the true needs of all. Let love guide you now so that love may also guide the many. In love’s interest, turn to your own heart, sit in calmness, and let its truth guide you to be as loving as you can.
Maintain sacred inner space for loving kindness to grow, for fear to abate, for worry to die out, for that which causes distress and concern to find solace and peace. In inner solitude find the way to touch the Great Mystery, the Oneness that you are, for though you may perceive yourself as a bundle of bones and flesh you are so much more than that, and really so much less as well. You are All That Is and you are Nothing At All as well, so much and so little, part of it all and yet one tiny speck of light and love, so small and yet so capable. Do not forget the power of this smallness and this greatness that you are, for it is what you ultimately seek, unity within the loving aspect of self, the great and the small within. Strive for it now while chaos reigns and experience its bliss while in human form, for the good of the self and good of all. It is all you need now, to be loving within and loving without. Strive for that.
Look to the skies for guidance on how to remain detached and yet fully energetically connected! – Photo by Jan Ketchel
The key to actualizing our human potential is energy. If you have enough energy you can do just about anything. Recognizing the value of conserving and retrieving energy, shamans discovered that the human being’s most lethal energy drain is offense. Being offended, by anything and everything, costs humans the lion’s share of their vital energy.
When we feel offended by the words and deeds of others we have emotional reactions, like anger, fear, and resentment that tax the central nervous system. We lose our balance, as we become emotionally charged, seeking relief in some kind of action. Often, obsessive thinking continues to replay the offense, which sustains and feeds this state of emotional tension.
Is it possible to have an objective reaction to another’s offensive behavior without being personally offended? Yes, through gaining conscious control of our instinctive emotional reactions and deciding, on the mental plane, to not be offended by the behavior of others, regardless of how ruthless it might be.
Who could forget Robert De Niro’s “Are you talking to me?” in the movie Taxi Driver? Instinctively, we feel the growing tension of his mounting anger, as he incessantly repeats this famous line. Truthfully, many are drawn to such unabashed expressions of rage and contempt, which vicariously satisfies our own unexpressed rage and resentment.
Now, if Robert De Niro had simply walked away, the movie would have flopped. On the other hand, if we want to start saving our vital energy, we must be willing to let go of the many dramas our internal dialogue ignites through its constant interpretation of offense, throughout our everyday lives.
This is not to say that there is not significant horrific behavior that must be addressed. At issue is the subjective state of offense that accompanies one’s reactions to those behaviors. One can assess a situation and decide upon a course of action, unencumbered by emotional reaction. In fact, this is a core teaching of all martial arts.
When one becomes emotionally offended by an opponent’s move, one loses one’s edge, fights poorly, and generally loses. As in shamanism, in the martial arts the key to success is to not become attached —offended— by one’s opponent’s behavior. The objective is to stay present to what is and completely conserve one’s energy in order to be fully engaged in one’s most efficient counter response.
In fact, when one becomes offended one actually gifts the opponent one’s own energy. Offense can lead to hopelessness, powerlessness, and surrender, as one’s vital energy reserves become depleted. Bullying behavior is actually a strategy to catch one’s opponent in the net of offense, weakening their game. Muhammed Ali was a striking example of such tactical behavior leading up to a fight, as he would mercilessly insult and demean his opponents.
Instinctive reactions can be, and often are, life saving. What we take as an instinctive reaction, however, is very frequently the ego’s decision to be offended, whereby calling forth the troops of passionate reactions to exact retribution, in some form. This is a hybrid, instinctive reaction that serves only the ego, not the true needs of the self.
Ego must learn to be a servant to the true needs of the whole self, rather than just its own self-aggrandizement. Even if the ego has been directly insulted, the ego must consider the energetic impact on its central nervous system, and its energy reserves, before determining its course of action.
If the ego faces the fact that we live in a world where life feeds upon life, it can come around to the fact that we live in a predatory universe and not get offended by it. Of course, this does not stop our need to defend ourselves, but how much stronger and more clearheaded we would be if we didn’t burden ourselves with being offended.
When the shamans speak of detachment, they are targeting what we typically judge to be offensive behavior. They promote inner silence to avoid offensive dramas when navigating oncoming time, to best be prepared to respond appropriately, with the least taxing of our energetic reserves. Inner silence entails quieting the mind, pulling into the heart center, and waiting patiently for the guidance that shows us how to act in a way that is truly right.
In addition, they recommend a thorough recapitulation of one’s relationships in life, particularly circumstances that left one feeling offended. Recapitulation frees one’s energy stored away in offense, but also frees one from being triggered by current circumstances that reflect one’s unresolved past.
The truth is that there are highly sadistic, abusive people who commit horrific acts. Recapitulation does not change this fact, but it does free one from draining one’s vital energy by being eternally offended by them. Detachment means accepting the truth of what was, and fully harnessing one’s freed energy to be redeployed in new life.
I send out the intent for unbending detachment, as we collectively advance our world into new life, beyond offense.
