who is on your altar?
Tonight my husband and I watched the movie Good Night, and Good Luck. I am still sitting with all the thoughts that came up as I took in this film. The shadows and lighting were just incredible. And the faces of these actors - the quick moments of emotion captured. It felt so timely, beyond timely really. I wish we had a voice of reason like this today. Right now. Do we? And if we do, will that person who stands up for freedom of speech and belief lose his or her job? Be moved to a Sunday afternoon time slot that no one will watch?
As I listened to McCarthy's words, I felt the same way I feel when I watch the news or the Sunday morning political shows or hear the voice of George W. Bush. However, through this reaction, I had one split second of sanity and was reminded of a teaching my yoga teacher shared with my training group when we met for the first time after the 2004 election. It is a story about the spiritual teacher Ram Dass. I ask your forgiveness in that I am paraphrasing a story that has been passed down, but I believe that he wrote about it in one of his books. During the 80s, Ram Dass found following his teacher's teaching to love everyone challenging. Every time he saw Casper Weinberger on the news, he felt lots of emotions but love was not one of them. His teacher said that this teaching was not one you decide to follow one day and then let go of another. So Ram Dass brought a picture of Weinberger to his altar. Imagine coming to your altar where you have symbols, pictures, artifacts, a candle for peace and so on that all represent your spiritual teachers and teachings. You might say, "Hello Buddha. Thank you for your example Jesus. Good morning Mom. Thank you to the spirits who have gone before me. Hello my favorite rock that reminds me of my connection to nature. Thank you for the reminder to let go of attachment Shiva. Ah...Casper. Yes. Hello to you too."
My teacher was challenging us, and herself, to think about putting Bush on our alters. Can I do this? Can I put Bush, McCarthy, Weinberger, and so many others on my altar? Can I project compassion instead of anger? Can I open my heart enough to realize that loving everyone is non-negotiable? Tonight, I am certain, that I am not ready for this. (One person did ask my teacher, "Can it be the bobblehead Bush?") I might need to start with someone else. But then again, if not now, then when? And, if I can bring Bush to my alter, maybe I can bring people who have hurt me to my altar. Those people in my past I may not want to think about. Those people who also need my compassion.
Who needs your compassion more than your anger? Who do you need to bring to your altar?
liz lamoreux
Reader Comments (19)
This post was very moving, Liz, and so thought provoking.
I think that the ideas are right--peace and forgiveness can only result from compassion--but I too am not ready to feel compassion for President Bush (or at least, not a genuine, robust compassion). It is very hard for me to let go of events that I perceive as mistakes occurring repeatedly. Perhaps I should clarify--I feel compassion for President Bush as a man and I pray for him, but his power and agenda scares me, and I cannot push that fear aside enough to wedge compassion into its space.).
I love what you have written about feeling compassion for people who have hurt you. Again, a struggle--the teacher who refused to include my poem in the literary magazine at our school, the supervisor in grad. school whom I struggled to please but treated me with contempt, the friend who continued to rub salt in the wounds of my vulnerabilities. I don't think that I can do it, yet, but even as I write this, I am inspired and motivated to try--if you must give something, why not compassion as opposed to anger? Either way, the target is still getting something from you, but at least compassion seems to stem from a stronger, wiser place.
Have a lazy Sunday filled with books!
P.S. Borders is having a 25% off sale this weekend for Educator's. As a Yoga teacher, you would qualify. All you would need to do is take a pay stub or some sort of documentation indicating that you do this.
this makes me think.
and the thought of anger
and the concept of forgiveness
and moving on
always brings my mind
to one person
and one part of my life
that
i have analyzed
and poked at and prodded...
that i have questioned
and wondered and debated...
that i have hidden and buried
and forgotten and ignored...
and still,
i choose
not to let go of it.
and now,
i choose to put it away
again.
I'm so touched by this post today. The other day my brother-on-law was talking about teaching his children to be compassionate, particularly his son who is currently dealing with being bullied at the tender age of 9. I will try and join him and let go of the anger and hatred in my own heart and choose instead to be a part of a more compassionate world.
I know precisely who needs to go on my altar, and it is a challenge. I imagine it will also be a great release.
Wow, what a post! It makes me think of one of my favorite books by Sharon Salzberg called "Loving-kindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness." My yoga teacher often reads passages from this book to us at the beginning of class. And there is a poem in it I keep meaning to post for poetry Thursday - I'll do that this week (I'm making a reminder note in my calender). blessings
This is a wonderful expression of the idea that it's easy to love the people who are easy to love. It's the others... Thank you for giving me the challenge and it's not a politician or anyone "out there" but much nearer to home I need to put on my altar, and greet each day with what I can appreciate about him. Thank you.
Really good post, Liz -- I know I am not ready for enlightenment. I feel such hate in my heart, and then, I hate them for making me hateful, and the hate deepens. It's an ugly cycle. I think I am capable of empathy in many cases, but not with people I believe are evil and grasping, and then, even the ignorance of the voters makes me hateful. Yes, this administation has taxed my empathy. I am no Buddhist. I hate hate hate hate them.
great post and what a comforting idea.....though like the others, i know i could never NEVER put bush et al on my alter.......though maybe someone else!
Great post, Liz! And when I read your final question: "Who needs your compassion more that your anger?" I found my answer took my breath away: Me. I do. I need my compassion more than my anger. I'll start there. Thanks for the incentive.
Great post! We have "Good Night..." at home now (from Netflix) and will watch it very soon. I am wary to watch it though as I know that as it inspires me, it will also drain me of hope. The "simpler" times when there were only a couple of news anchors to choose from that people trusted to look out for them have sadly faded away. Nowadays people (crazily!) will watch nuts like Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity and trust that their blindsided partisanship and fictional "news" are what should be trusted. All the while the "most trusted person in America" of yesteryear (Walter Kronkite) and amazingly thoughtful reporters like Bill Moyers are either ignored when they speak out or investigated and called unpatriotic or biased--what? Argh -- this frustrates me to no end.
Compassion for Dim Son? -- no way. Too many people have already died or had their lives ruined under the "leadership" of this man. I'll choose compassion for those trying to get people to wake up and look objectively at the reality unfolding around us as Americans and not as blind followers of a corrupt administration.
Opinionated enough for you? :) :) Sorry! :) :) :)
Jim
What an interesting and thought-provoking idea......especially with the people who've hurt me in my own life. Don't think I could put Bush up there, but trying to heal with others....hmmmmm.
Liz, you are so right. We do need to bring them to altar, I wonder if the act itself is freeing or if acting forgiving their acts against us. I need to do this more. I know I do. I carry around resentment a lot more than I should. Resentment is a word I hate. I hate when I allow it into my heart to hurt.
Damn, I hate it when I read something that makes me feel like I should take the high road! :-D
I'm with several others who have commented - I feel completely incapable of bringing Bush to my alter in any sincere or meaningful way, but perhaps I can think of a way to start smaller and work my way in that direction. I will think on it.
Yup, would love to bring him to the altar all right.... but not in a good way. ;^)
Went to see "V for Vendetta" today - very therapuetic. ;^)
I would have a much harder time putting Cheney on my altar than Bush...I find it easier to feel compassion for the stupid. ;) Sometimes we can begin very close to home. I've been doing this type of action with a bitchy coworker lately. Disliking her (and her Bush-loving ways and prejudiced beliefs) is easy, but requires so much more energy from me than finding a tiny kernel of compassion for her. It requires a lot less effort on my part and reaps much greater rewards--she's been acting kinder towards me. It's so easy to fall into the trap of a 'choosing sides' mentality...but the older I get, the more I believe that we don't create change by convincing people to switch sides...we change the world by letting go of the sides altogether...
LOL - well, Liz, I am laughing because I am feeling so much delight that I am in good company with my ill-feelings about Bush! Instead of moving in the peaceful, compassionate direction the post gently glides, I am sitting here thinking "OH GOODIE! WE ALL HATE HIM!" ;) I am also thinking that if we all care this much we need to be getting ready for the next election, doing volunter work to make SURE this doesn't happen again!
This was a marvelous post, Liz, and I am made aware with each of your posts just how much I enjoy reading your blog and how much I respect the parts of you I am coming to know. Thanks for all the growth productive ways you stiumlate me to think and feel. :)
What a great post! I'm so glad I live in Canada sometimes, I don't have to have any compassion for Bush...I do have compassion for all of you living under his Presidency though. I was thinking this weekend about writing a list of "What I should've said" to certain people throughout my past, a way to let go and move on- but maybe that would be too spiteful?Finding a way to close those doors through compassion would probably be much healthier. Makes me think, thank you!
wonderful, thought provoking post. i felt the same way when i saw goodnight and goodluck. i was so impressed with george clooney and the message he tried to relay. i remember leaving the theater thinking, we need to wake up...we're doing the SAME thing all over again--it was communism then it's terrorism now. i wish i could say i could put bush on my alter...but i'm just not sure...
this post moved me so much that i've been speechless in a response for a few days.
i am so with you.
and i needed this during this time. not only regarding my feelings about Bush but also a particular relationship where i have felt hurt. i think it would be so healing to bring these people to my altar.
isn't that making love and not war?
i just wanted to say hello (first time commenter) and that i had chills when i read you post. i had a long tiring day trying to fight for "something"... and in the end i lost. i have so much hate for Bush and in even writing that i feel like i have to delete it. politics (for me too) make up a huge part of my essence and compliment my life's manifesto, my soul, moral compass, etc. i know that hate is a strong element and that i truly should be focusing on "compassion". thank you for sharing. it is completely appreciated. (oh btw. clooney is my hero. i too just loved Good Night and Good Luck, such a relevant film to watch in these times. i have so much respect for that man. And for him doing syriana as well. And well... he is easy on the eyes too (big grin) cheers!