I’ve been practicing the concept of directing my thoughts as an orchestra conductor might to create a pleasing symphony of my life and to offset the automatic, default programming laid down in my psyche. I’m consistently awed by the challenges I meet.
Someone in my life recently referred me to some horrific scenarios of what is happening in our country right now. I replied, I do not want to focus my attention on this. Their reply was, “you are avoiding reality.”
Along about the same time, I encountered the quote: “you don’t see the world as it is, you see the world as you are.”
It struck me strongly. At the time, I was hearing the exact same accusations, insinuations, and judgments I was applying toward one political party being hurled by them toward the other side. I thought to myself, “that is a superb example of projection.”
This leads me to the dilemma I’m pondering. The central question is how to direct my thoughts to a higher vibration as a more suitable way to manage things such as anxiety, fear and undue stress without ignoring or dismissing or disengaging from “reality”. (A matter of subjectivity in my view.)
Right now if I’m seeing the world as I am, it is filled with a level of discord, meanness, intolerance, lawlessness, blatant unfairness and hypocrisy I’ve not encountered in 60+ years on this earth. It is really quite unnerving.
It occurs to me that the world is being painted in these colors by what I’m hearing and reading and feeling based on the words and actions of those dominating the public discourse.
“I acknowledge I have the capability of being mean and hateful but I also know to my core that is not who I am.”
It distresses me that my brothers and sisters who some view as different either by color, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, financial status, mental capabilities or physical conditions are treated with open disrespect and hidden animosity. It is especially difficult to witness people who enjoy unearned privileges due to their skin color and/or financial status and/or country of birth, treating others as unworthy of those same privileges.
I seek partnership, collaboration, harmony, and mutually respectful communication. The way I wish to see the world is somewhere objective truth matters. Where mutual respect toward others and this planet are the norm rather than the exception. Where cooperation is commended rather than scorned; where domination is rejected and partnership is celebrated. Where leaders own up to their mistakes, where sincere apology is seen as a sign of bravery and course corrections are welcomed as signs of growth.
Liberty and justice for all are not just words to me. They are values I apply or seek to apply to myself and for all others.
This seems to me to be a continuing challenge for me, too. I can't disconnect myself from the reality of our times, but at the same time, I realize how amplified the commentary can be.
ReplyDeleteListening to a bit of the supreme court hearings, I was struck with how civil it all sounded, in spite of the gravity of conflict of opinions. They all sounded normal. How refreshing, I thought.
Listening to a NYT podcast yesterday recommended by a friend (Sway, Oct. 8), interviewing one of the Operation Warp Speed leaders, I was struck with his views on the way vaccine development was rapidly proceeding. The level of competence, compassion, and commitment that he conveyed was impressive and the glimpse of the team work, well, also remarkable.
Hopefully, we have more sane times ahead.